The Transfers Real Madrid Need to Complete After Yan Diomande Signing

Yan Diomandée has become Real Madrid’s fifth signing of the summer, joining in a blockbuster deal from RB Leipzig for up to €140 million ($161.7 million).

In the end, Florentino Pérez was simply never going to let this transfer window pass without making one big, splashy Galáctico-esque purchase.

During his re-election campaign ahead of the summer, his team put up giant banners around the city showcasing the biggest transfers of his reign alongside the words “to be continued.” In an interview on Spanish TV show Horizonte, Pérez promised to bid “around €150 million” on a forward player, adding: “It’s a signing meant to generate excitement because that’s what it's all about, generating excitement.”

After an offer for Julián Alvarez that was submitted seemingly only to troll his rivals and some noise around Michael Olise, Pérez and Madrid have landed on 19-year-old wonderkid Diomandé as this year’s big fish.

The nine-figure arrival of one of the world’s hottest talents, coveted by Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool and more, will be the headline deal this summer: Pérez’s “excitement generator.” It shouldn’t be the end of Real Madrid’s business, however. There is still more touch-up work to do on the roster.

Here are two more deals Los Blancos need to get done before the window closes on September 1.

Center Back

Madrid have already added to their center back options with the free transfer of Ibrahima Konaté, but the Frenchman is unlikely to be the sole addition to the position this summer.

After a hugely disappointing final campaign in the Premier League and largely being ignored by France manager Didier Deschamps at the 2026 World Cup, there is little recent evidence to suggest Konaté is the immediate answer to Madrid’s frailties.

The Frenchman was an opportunity signing after his contract renewal talks at Liverpool fell apart, rather than someone who will come in as a guaranteed starter.

David Alaba’s exit removes more depth from the roster, while Éder Militão’s injury issues mean he can no longer be relied upon. Elsewhere, Raúl Asencio’s time at the club is coming to an end.

That leaves Konaté, Antonio Rüdiger and Dean Huijsen as the club’s main three center back options. That is not enough—either from a depth or quality perspective—to compete on all fronts next season.

Another top-level option is needed, with Mourinho typically preferring experienced, combative center backs with good aerial duel success rates.

Players Linked: Nico Schlotterbeck, Alessandro Bastoni

Center Midfielder

Rodri could be Madrid’s midfield solution. | Visionhaus/Getty Images

On the to-do list since mid 2024, Real Madrid badly lack a deep-lying midfield controller in the mould of Toni Kroos.

In the bigger games last season, Los Blancos found themselves unable to set the agenda, while Aurelién Tchouaméni is the club’s only specialist, senior ‘number six.’

Free signing Bernardo Silva adds depth to the midfield options—the former Manchester City star can operate in a number of roles—but Madrid are missing the player who can grasp the game as a pivot in Mourinho’s preferred 4-2-3-1 system.

Dani Ceballos’s exit leaves room for another addition in the roster, while uncertainty over Thiago Pitarch’s future highlights the need for more additions.

Rodri has been the clear and obvious candidate for some time, though Pérez has been slow or reluctant to move on the World Cup-winning captain and the deal is now in serious doubt amid rival interest from Barcelona. Failure to move this window risks leaving the club open to another season of shortcomings.

Players Linked: Rodri

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