A new name emerges to replace the Rodri transfer

Real Madrid C.F.

The name of Manuel Locatelli does not, for now, appear as an advanced move, but rather as an alternative that Real Madrid would be considering to strengthen its midfield. According to information shared by Ekrem Konur, the white club has identified the Italian international as a player who can provide something it has been looking for for some time: order, composure on the ball, and the ability to direct the game from deeper positions.

The situation with Rodri would also have led Madrid to broaden its options in the market. The midfielder has chosen Barcelona, while Tomás Guasch offered a particular take on his decision: “Vinicius's renewal has just convinced Rodri that his place is not in Madrid and that Mbappé can be kept waiting, but that the two of them together can't”.

Locatelli, a midfielder to bring order to Real Madrid

Locatelli is not a particularly eye-catching midfielder in terms of his goal or assist numbers. His importance shows up in other areas. The Italian is a organizer who feels comfortable receiving close to the center-backs, constantly offering a passing line and giving continuity to the circulation. He can play as a pivot or alongside another midfielder, and he stands out especially for his ability to set the tempo of matches and find passes that break through pressing lines.

One of his main virtues is precisely that ease in giving meaning to possession. Locatelli knows when to speed things up with a vertical pass and when to time it, and he also has a good long-range distribution to change the orientation of the game. He is not a spectacular dribbler or a specialist in constantly arriving in the box, but rather a player who tries to make the team work better around him.

Without the ball, he also offers an interesting profile. At 28 years old and with huge experience in Serie A, he stands out for his positioning, tactical reading, anticipation, and ability to occupy spaces. He is a disciplined player, used to taking on responsibilities, and he currently also serves as captain of Juventus.

By his characteristics, he can remind you in some ways of the type of midfielder that has historically appealed at the Bernabéu, although it would not be right to consider him a replacement for Kroos or Modric. Locatelli has a more positional and defensive profile, but he shares that desire to receive from deeper, lift his head, and organize attacks from the base of the move.

How much could a Locatelli transfer cost?

This could be one of the points that makes the Italian an attractive option. For now, there is no official figure and no record of negotiations between Real Madrid and Juventus, but his market valuation and contractual situation suggest a deal that could be far more accessible than those for other top midfielders linked to the white club.

His value has recently been set at around 25 million euros, although it seems difficult to think that Juventus would be willing to let its captain go for that amount. A potential negotiation could land roughly in a 30 to 40 million euro range, always depending on the player's wishes and the Italian club's financial needs.

Juventus also needs to balance its books after missing out on the Champions League, a circumstance that could open the door to some major sale. In that scenario, Locatelli could become one of those market opportunities that Real Madrid is used to studying away from the big spotlights.

The white club was already keeping an eye on the midfielder during his time at Sassuolo, before he ended up signing for Juventus. Now his name is back on the radar. For the moment, it is a possibility and not an advanced negotiation, but it is a profile that should be taken very seriously if Madrid decides to bring in a new brain for its midfield.