Real Madrid Keep or Dump: Sergio Ramos, Raphael Varane, Eden Hazard to go? Gareth Bale to stay?

Keep or Dump series: Arsenal | Bayern | Barcelona | Man United

Manager Zinedine Zidane won't be there next season, but Real Madrid have other things to worry about on the playing side, notably that their president Florentino Perez has been too busy trying to bring about the European Super League to manage to extend the contract of captain and legend Sergio Ramos.

Much like that of rivals Barcelona, Madrid's financial situation isn't looking great. They would love to sign PSG striker Kylian Mbappe, Borussia Dortmund's Erling Haaland, Rennes midfielder Eduardo Camavinga and possibly even Manchester United's Paul Pogba, but we're talking around €400m for that quartet, and the club just don't have that cash anymore. They are still Real Madrid, though, so Bayern Munich's David Alaba looks likely to arrive on a free transfer, which would help ease the pain of losing Ramos and maybe Raphael Varane.

Madrid have made some expensive transfer mistakes (€100m on Eden Hazard to name but one) in recent years and their squad is getting older, with Karim Benzema, Toni Kroos and Luka Modric the wrong side of 30 yet still shouldering the burden of the team. Changes, in some form, have to be made if they are to compete again, but they will need to lower the wage bill and raise some funds to do it.

With that in mind, here's a player-by-player analysis of the existing Real Madrid squad. Where a player is simply marked "Keep," the decision was beyond any reasonable doubt.

Various factors are taken into consideration including age, wages, character and contract length (we went with Transfermarkt for contract expiry dates for consistency). And there will be moving parts, too: departures or arrivals that cause chain reactions, sometimes unexpected.

Jump to: Defenders | Midfielders | Forwards | Overall assessment

GOALKEEPERS

Thibaut Courtois (29 years old, contract expires in 2024)

HUNTER: Most certainly considers himself a team leader and has been easily one of Madrid's best players this season. A miracle man and a personality: vital to keep.

Verdict: Keep

Andriy Lunin (22, 2024)

HUNTER: Major dilemma. No real evidence that he's Madrid-calibre, but he's already been out on loan. Does he simply need more experience? Maybe keep him for one more season and see but let him go and find another backup if there's a good offer.

LOWE: Alternated the very good with the less good when on loan at Real Oviedo in 2020. The doubt here would be: he's a back-up goalkeeper, and potentially a very good one, while also young. Where do you get another at that level, and a reasonable price when there is not a lot of money to spare, who is prepared to "only" be a back-up? Keep, if only because what else are you going to do?

Verdict: Keep and assess

DEFENDERS

Raphael Varane (28, 2022)

HUNTER: I would keep and extend him if possible but, with his contract up in 2022, I suspect his ambitions lie elsewhere. Madrid would be sad to lose him, but if he's determined to leave, then they can do a lot with €60m.

LOWE: This decision probably isn't Madrid's to make so, yeah, they have to dump him while they can get a decent fee.

Verdict: Dump (Estimated fee: €60m)

Sergio Ramos (35, 2021)

HUNTER: A Lionel Messi-style situation with his contract up this summer. He is still more than good enough, if fully fit, to lead and inspire for seasons to come. If he and Perez can stop playing "it's MY club" and agree a good contract, they should keep him. If not, he will thrive elsewhere.

LOWE: Probably too late now, alas.

Verdict: Keep and extend if they can, but it may be too late

Eder Militao (23, 2025)

HUNTER: Overly criticised to begin with when he joined for €50m from Porto in 2019; overly praised now. Decent in the air, has good pace but can improve his decision-making. However, he has shown enough to suggest he may progress if paired with experience to his left.

Verdict: Keep

Nacho (31, 2022)

Verdict: Keep and extend

Jesus Vallejo (24, 2025)

LOWE: Might eventually be useful. A steady-enough central defender but not a really significant upgrade, so let him go if there's the chance to, but make sure there's a clause in there to bring him back.

Verdict: Dump with a clause to re-sign (Estimated fee: €5m)

Ferland Mendy (25, 2025)

HUNTER: Strangely enough, Perez still needs convincing about the French left-back, but nobody else should. He's a fine athlete, deft footballer and competitor. Plus he'll be needed if Marcelo goes.

LOWE: Keep, but find a way to give Miguel Gutierrez minutes.

Verdict: Keep

Marcelo (33, 2022)

HUNTER: A supreme footballer in his day, Mr. Entertainment in boots, but he's not the future and Juventus may offer him an exit.

LOWE: Once a great player; not anymore. Dump, but with gratitude for his service.

Verdict: Dump (Estimated fee: €10m)

Dani Carvajal (29, 2022)

HUNTER: Get him fit and reap the benefits. He is worth extending if he stays injury free.

Verdict: Keep and extend

Victor Chust (21, 2021)

HUNTER: Looks like he has the calibre to succeed in the future. But with Alaba en route, he might not get enough football at the right level, so loan to a club like Valencia or Real Betis.

Verdict: Keep and loan

Miguel Gutierrez (19, 2024)

HUNTER: Very strong vibes that he might be the best of the breakthrough kids at Madrid. A future star at left-back who can train and grow under Mendy.

LOWE: Keep and (and here there is a slight difference between our positions on Mendy) play more. If you can't do that, then get him somewhere where he can play on loan for a bit.

Verdict: Keep / Keep and loan

Alvaro Odriozola (25, 2024)

LOWE: Let him go if there is anyone out there who wants to sign him, although his form in recent weeks has suggested that there might be a good player in there somewhere.

Verdict: Dump (Estimated fee: €10m)

- La Liga on ESPN+: Stream LIVE games and replays (U.S. only)