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According to a report from MARCA, Jesus Vallejo is being considered as a fourth-choice center back option should Raphael Varane be sold. The club know that Varane can fetch a large transfer fee, relative to other players in the squad, and thus would be willing to cash in on him given there is only one year remaining on his current deal. With renewal talks at a stand still, Madrid’s hand may be forced in regards to the French center back.
Despite potentially losing two of the best center backs in the world, the club may decide to opt out of the market. Long time targets, Jules Kounde and Pau Torres, have both been deemed too expensive. The club hierarchy could instead choose to promote Militao and Nacho’s roles within the team.
The addition of Alaba, alongside the growing roles of Militao and Nacho, still leaves one spot open. Jesus Vallejo should not be the player selected to fill that hole. Vallejo has regressed in his last two seasons as a professional and struggled to break into the starting XI at Granada. Kiyan Sobhani and Matt Wiltse consistently pointed out the center back’s near weekly errors on the Loan Tracker podcast this season.
If the club do decide to opt for a cheaper fourth string alternative, then they have a plethora of choices from the Cantera. Victor Chust, a left footed center back, captain of Castilla, and captain of the UEFA Youth League championship team has already featured for the first team on a few occasions. Pablo Ramon, the heralded young center back from Mallorca, has earned praise from many, including one of Getafe’s former u19 coaches. And the third option, the least talked about but arguably the best defender of the three is Mario Gila. Gila was a stand out for Raul’s Castilla and consistently performed at a high level in Segunda B.
Each of the aforementioned names could likely play a developmental 4th-string role for at least one season as the club attempts to get their finances in order for next summer. Promoting a youth team player would help with UEFA homegrown squad requirements and would cost the club nothing. Jesus Vallejo is 24-years-old and his recent performances on loan have not merited a return to Real Madrid.