Real Madrid are back in the market for a center back, and the Spanish giants are eyeing some of the top talents in the Premier League and Bundesliga.
Although Xabi Alonso welcomed Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen and Álvaro Carreras to the Spanish capital this summer, he will soon be in need of an additional defensive reinforcement come June.
Real Madrid are thought to be parting ways with David Alaba and Antonio Rüdiger, who are both in the final 12 months of their contracts, at the end of the 2025–26 season, leaving the Spanish giants with just three first-team center backs.
To fill the gaping hole, Los Blancos must turn to the transfer market, where there are several elite defenders well within their reach.
4. Nico Schlotterbeck
Nico Schlotterbeck is perhaps a surprise name thrown into Real Madrid’s defender search. The Germany international is not as highly regarded as Los Blancos’ other targets, but he is a complete center back that has been an unsung hero for Borussia Dortmund over the years.
Not only is Schlotterbeck defensively sound with the calmness and composure of a true leader at the back, but he is also confident with the ball at his feet, more than capable of making a run forward to start an unexpected attack from his own half. The 25-year-old is also unafraid of committing to an aggressive tackle, something Real Madrid have desperately missed as of late.
Schlotterbeck is under contract with Borussia Dortmund through 2027, meaning Los Blancos would have to shell out a transfer fee high enough to beat out Liverpool and other interested clubs. With three other defenders set to become free agents this summer, Schlotterbeck likely stands as just a potential back-up option, even if Real Madrid could poach him for a bargain price.
3. Dayot Upamecano
The longer Dayot Upamecano goes without a contract extension at Bayern Munich, the more interest he will draw from the likes of Real Madrid. Snagging a player of his quality as a free agent is right in line with Los Blancos’ transfer strategy of the last few years.
Upamecano might have struggled in his early days with the German giants, but he has since turned into a consistent, reliable force at the back. No longer a massive liability with the ball at his feet, the 26-year-old now uses his power and speed to lead a formidable defense that has only conceded three goals in the Bundesliga this season.
Despite his impressive run of form for both club and country as of late, it is hard to ignore the ever-present threat of a defensive blunder from Upamecano. Plus, the Frenchman is still relatively fresh off a severe knee injury that kept him out of action for nearly 80 days at the end of the 2024–25 season, and the last thing Real Madrid need is another injury-prone defenseman.
2. Ibrahima Konaté
Should Rüdiger indeed depart the Spanish capital next summer, Real Madrid will be desperate to replace the physicality of the Germany international. The club will search for a defender that can mark the biggest and best strikers in the world and win his duels both in the air and on the ground.
Konaté fits the profile and then some. The Liverpool star is a menacing force who can use his brute strength and tall frame to impose his will onto his opponents. Plus, the center back has proven he can deliver under pressure on both England and Europe’s biggest stages, staying calm at the back without losing his physical edge.
Back in January, Konaté would have been a dream transfer for Real Madrid. Except the Frenchman has underwhelmed in 2025–26, allowing another soon-to-be free agent to move to the top of Los Blancos’ wish list.
1. Marc Guéhi
Over the last year and a half, Marc Guéhi has earned the attention of Europe’s top clubs. With a standout performance for England at Euro 2024 and then for Crystal Palace in their historic 2024–25 campaign, the center back’s stock quickly rose to the tune of £35 million ($47.3 million) this summer.
The Reds never got a chance to shell out the fee for the 25-year-old after his move to Merseyside collapsed, though, leaving the door open for Real Madrid to come knocking. Guéhi’s composure and expert positioning combined with his clinical passing and vision out the back would give the Spanish giants an absolute weapon to play alongside Huijsen next season.
The England international is also capable of initiating and getting involved in the attack; Guéhi already has six goal contributions to his name this season for both club and country. Should Real Madrid manage to snag the center back’s signature once he becomes a free agent, Alonso’s backline would feature three of the Premier League’s best former defenders.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Real Madrid’s Top Center Back Targets—Ranked.
