Real Madrid to complete major January signing, with five-time Prem winner top of three-man shortlist

Real Madrid WILL sign a centre-back in January after losing Eder Militao to an ACL injury, with a report revealing which players are their plan A, B and C.

Militao suffered an ACL injury that has prematurely ended his season in the 4-0 victory over Osasuna on Saturday.

Real Madrid were already light in the centre-back department having failed to adequately replace club stalwart Nacho Fernandez last summer.

With Militao now sidelined, Spanish outlet AS state Real Madrid have determined they will sign a new centre-back in January.

That decision has already been taken and per the report, Carlo Ancelotti’s side have already drafted a three-man shortlist of high quality targets.

Plan A, according to AS, is signing Al-Nassr’s Aymeric Laporte who won five Premier League titles during his stint with Manchester City.

Plan B if Laporte proves unattainable is RB Leipzig’s Castello Lukeba. Plan C is Bayer Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah.

Sergio Ramos return ruled out

Speculation Real Madrid could re-sign club icon Sergio Ramos – who is available via free agency – is reportedly wide of the mark.

Real Madrid’s hierarchy are understood to have ruled out Ramos’ return and in fact won’t sign any free agent or cover Militao’s absence with a short-term loan.

The idea is to sign a player who can contribute for multiple years, with Laporte, Lukeba and Tah the trio they’ll pick from.

As mentioned, Laporte followed by Lukeba and then Tah is Real Madrid’s order of preference between the three defenders.

Signing Laporte won’t require a huge transfer fee given the Spaniard is already the wrong side of 30. However, AS noted Laporte must be willing to accept a sizeable pay cut if he’s to return from Saudi Arabia.

Lukeba would cost the biggest fee, with Tah another cost-effective option given his contract status. The 28-year-old is out of contract at Leverkusen next summer, meaning the upcoming winter window represents Leverkusen’s last chance to cash in, albeit for a reduced sum.

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In other news, Steve McManaman – who himself left Liverpool for Real Madrid as a free agent – has delivered his take on Trent Alexander-Arnold walking that same path.

“Would I encourage it? I had the most wonderful time,” McMananman told TNT Sports.

“I think if you speak to somebody else, Michael Owen was only there for a year, he had a great time but came back. I personally don’t know Trent’s situation. I think Liverpool want him to stay but it’s entirely a personal thing, isn’t it?”

The former winger added: “Do Real Madrid want him? I think every club in the world would want him, someone of his calibre on a free… I think that goes without saying.

“But he might want to stay here – his family are here – or he might think ‘You know what, I’ve been here 20 years as a man and a boy, I’ll try somewhere new’. Because once he stays, if he does stay and sign a five-year, six-year deal here, he’s here for the future, isn’t he, he’s here for life.”

Elsewhere, an incredible report out of Spain has claimed PSG have tabled a world record €250m (£208m/$268m) bid for Vinicius Jr.