Real Madrid are looking for a new central midfielder and they have Chelsea, Liverpool and Crystal Palace stars on their list of targets.
Xabi Alonso has plenty of options in the middle of the park, with the likes of Eduardo Camavinga, Jude Bellingham, Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni in his squad.
However, Spanish publication AS report that Real Madrid are looking for another addition as they are still feeling the losses of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric.
A number of targets have been identified, including three Premier League stars, although all of those will cost a lot of money.
Crystal Palace and England star Adam Wharton is on Real Madrid’s radar, as are Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez and Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister.
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PSG and Portugal superstar Vitinha is also on Real Madrid’s wanted list, although the European champions will not want to lose one of their key men.
Wharton is expected to leave Crystal Palace in the near future, with Premier League giants also interested in signing the 21-year-old.
Wharton signed a contract until 2029 when he joined Palace from Blackburn Rovers, so the Eagles will be able to demand a hefty fee whenever they decide to let him go.
Chelsea would be uninterested in selling Fernandez and it would take a monstrous bid for them to change their mind after the Blues paid £106.8m for his services in 2023.
The report from Spain suggests that it is another player who is top of the wanted list for Real Madrid, with AZ Alkmaar’s Kees Smit now the top target.
The 19-year-old is by far the least experienced of the players Real Madrid have been eyeing, having made his AZ debut in 2024 and yet to play for the Netherlands senior team.
However, the teenager has swiftly built a glowing reputation in the Eredivisie, Europa League and Conference League for AZ, while winning Player of the Tournament at the 2025 European Under-19 Championship, which Netherlands won.
AS report that Smit has been valued at £52m by AZ, which Real Madrid believe will only increase and they could make a move for him as early as this month.
