Real hope to raise €180m through player sales

Real Madrid have begun work on offloading players who have no place in the plans of head coach Zinedine Zidane and are hoping to raise around €180 million in that way, according to Marca.

The Covid-19 pandemic has caused financial issues for practically every club around the globe, but Real have the additional burden of their stadium of Santiago Bernabeu going through considerable renovation at the same time which only heightens the need for the books to be properly balanced. Defenders Javi Sanchez and Achraf Hakimi have already left the club for a combined fee of €43.5m, but that is apparently only the beginning.

Winger Gareth Bale and midfielder James Rodriguez have been on the sale list for a while now, but their huge salaries thwarted all efforts to shift the two outcasts so far. Real are still unwilling to take part in paying any part of their wages should they move to another club, which is likely to prove an obstacle again. James has one more year on his contract; Bale has two. Benfica have been mentioned as a possible destination for the Colombian.

Striker Luka Jovic is another likely to head out, with Napoli and AC Milan reportedly interested in the Serbia international.