REAL MADRID
Which Real Madrid players are out of contract in 2024? Who will stay? Modric, Kroos, Nacho, Vázquez…
Six members of Carlo Ancelotti’s current roster could be gone by the end of the season, with key decisions required.
Will we see a new Real Madrid in the new year? Six members of the current roster could be entering the final few months of their time at the club, with Luka Modric (38), Toni Kroos (33), Nacho (33) and Lucas Vázquez (32) all out of contract on 30 June 2024, while loanees Joselu (33) and Kepa (29) are also due to return to their parent clubs at the end of the season. 1 January has been set as the deadline for decisions to be made.
Modric, Kroos and Nacho were already in same situation last season due to Los Blancos’ policy of extending the contracts of players over the age of 30 one year at a time.
Lucas Vázquez: “Real Madrid has always been my dream”
Vázquez’s last extension, on the other hand, was for three years in 2021, which is now coming to an end. When asked about his future ahead of the Champions League game against Union Berlin earlier this month, the former Spain international left no room for doubt. “Would I sign a new deal with Madrid right now? Yes, of course. Playing for Madrid has been my dream since I was little. It’s my home, it’s where I feel best.”
A new contract would therefore be the perfect Christmas present for the academy product, even though he is now Dani Carvajal’s understudy at right-back. “When you don’t get much game time, it’s not great. You have to keep calm when that happens. I’m not lacking confidence.”
Vázquez has proved his capabilities in Carvajal’s absence, recently putting in an excellent performance in the 4-1 home win over Villarreal. In that clash, he stood out for both his defensive resoluteness and attacking threat down the right flank, setting up a goal for Rodrygo which made it 2-0 before half time. Four days later, he came off the bench to head in a last minute winner as Los Merengues somehow snatched three points against Alavés with 10 men. The perfect way to prove to club bosses he is worth keeping around.
Modric to have final say on new contract
Modric’s case is vastly different. At 38, the Croat will have the final say on whether he stays or goes. Which also happened at the start of this season, when he opted to extend his Madrid stay rather than make a ludicrously lucrative switch to Saudi Arabia (he was offered a three-year deal worth a reported $220 million by Al Hilal).
Game time for the 2018 Ballon d’Or has been more limited than ever this season, with Carlo Ancelotti brining in several young midfielders to the club in recent times. Madrid are well stacked in that area of the field, although injuries in the first half of the season have opened the door for a little for Modric, who has played just 1,022 minutes in 2023-24. 11 other players have been used more.
The Croatia captain doesn’t seem to be in a rush to make a decision but will not be short of proposals from elsewhere, including Saudi Arabia and MLS. “I live in the present, we will see what happens in the future,” Modric stated at the recent AS Gala. His hand may be forced sooner than he would like, however, with interested parties able to submit offers from 1 January.
Kroos remains key man in Madrid midfield
Kroos’ future is also likely to depend on him, which was the case last summer too. Given the German’s performances on the field this season, Madrid fans will hope he stays, while the club and Ancelotti are also pushing for him to sign an extension.
At the start of 2023-24, it appeared as if the former Bayern Munich man may no longer be part of the first choice XI. However, Kroos has had an excellent first half of the season, adding guile to a midfield that contains plenty of physicality in the shape of Eduardo Camavinga, Aurélien Tchouaméni and Fede Valverde.
The freshening up of the Madrid midfield has not come at Kroos’ expense, and has instead reinvigorated the German to a degree, which seems as good a reason as any to keep him around. He has always maintained he has no plans to play until he is 40, but at 33, there is still plenty of gas left in the tank.
Captain Nacho concerned over lack of game time
Perhaps the player who is most uncertain about pledging his future to Real Madrid is Nacho. Despite being club captain, he is the fourth-choice central defender after Eder Militão, David Alaba and Antonio Rüdiger when everyone is fit, although he has had plenty of time on the field the season due to injuries to his teammates.
Having opted not to strengthen in central defence in the summer, Los Merengues are now reportedly looking at 22-year-old Gonçalo Inácio of Sporting Lisbon and Zenit’s Robert Renan, 20, as new recruits.
Ending his career as a one-club man would offer some appeal, but so too would having a new experience before hanging up his boots. Money will not be a factor, with Nacho’s decision likely to be heavily influenced by opportunities to play.
With Jude Bellingham, Vinicius, Rodrygo, Camavinga and Valverde already tied down to long-term contracts company, we already have a fair idea of how Real Madrid are set up for the future. The question now is which of the present experienced campaigns remain alongside them.