Four defenders Real Madrid are monitoring as replacements for veteran duo – report | OneFootball

The Real Madrid defence has seen a major overhaul this summer following the summer additions of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Alvaro Carreras and Dean Huijsen.

Huijsen has already become a standout player in the Real Madrid defence under the leadership of Xabi Alonso.

However, the Spanish coach is keen on carrying out a full-scale transition in defence, which could include the potential exit of two of the club’s seniormost defenders in Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba.

Four players in contention to replace Rudiger and Alaba

According to Defensa Central, four players are in contention to replace Alaba and Rudiger over medium to long term. All of them have been linked with a move to the Santiago Bernabeu recently, at some form or another.

The first name on the list is Ibrahima Konate, an obvious target for Real Madrid as the Liverpool defender looks to play out his contract at Anfield. In fact, recent reports suggest he is poised to become the club’s first signing of 2026.

The Frenchman is seen as an ideal defensive partner for Huijsen and given his status as a potential free agent next summer, he is an ideal target for Los Blancos.

Real Madrid are also tracking Marc Guehi, another player whose contract expires at the end of the season.

Is Marc Guehi a solid alternative to Konate? (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Guehi was closely linked with a move to Liverpool this summer but the move did not materialise. Amid reports that Liverpool may not return for the Englishman in January, Real Madrid have emerged as a potential suitor.

The Crystal Palace defender has extensive experience in the Premier League and could offer grit and commitment to the Real Madrid backline.

Real Madrid are tracking two more centre-backs in William Saliba and Dayot Upamecano, with the former being linked with a move to the Bernabeu earlier in the summer.

Having established himself as one of Premier League’s best defenders, acquiring Saliba’s services could prove to be difficult, though, knowing Arsenal won’t be too keen on offloading their star player. Even if they do, the Frenchman is likely to cost a fortune.

As for Upamecano, the French defender, who was once the defensive partner of Konate at RB Leipzig, has had a topsy-turvy spell at Bayern Munich.

But with his contract expiring at the end of the season, Upamecano can be an attractive option for Real Madrid, though the Frenchman can be error-prone at times and won’t certainly top the list in terms of quality and consistency.