Real Madrid have reportedly identified Juventus left-back Alex Sandro as a cost-effective replacement for senior defender and club captain Marcelo.
According to a report from Fichajes, Real Madrid have set their sights on Juventus defender Alex Sandro as a potential candidate to replace club captain Marcelo, who is out of contract at the end of the season.
Having started at Athletico Paranaense in Brazil, Sandro spent time at FC Maldonado in Uruguay. He had a loan spell at Santos FC before moving to Europe in 2011, signing for FC Porto. Sandro spent four years at the Portuguese outfit carving out a reputation for himself as a reliable young left-back before Juventus came calling for him in 2015.
Since signing for Juventus, the 30-year-old has been a permanent fixture on the left side of the defence when fit and available. To date, Sandro has racked up 255 appearances for the Bianconeri, contributing 14 goals and 30 assists in the process. He has had a key role in the domestic success that the Italian giants achieved in the recent past.
However, his form has been on a decline of late. Indeed, Sandro has not been performing at his best level in the current campaign, even though he remains a regular starter in the side. Nonetheless, Real Madrid have now shown an interest in signing him up in January, as per the report mentioned above.
Real Madrid are set to lose their current club captain and longest-serving player, Marcelo, at the end of the season. The Brazilian has only six months left on his contract and will not be offered a renewal by Los Blancos. The veteran star is being courted by several clubs back in his homeland, and a departure in the summer looks inevitable.
Even though Real Madrid have Ferland Mendy as their first-choice left-back, they will need to bring in a reliable cover for the Frenchman. While youngster Miguel Gutierrez has shown great potential, manager Carlo Ancelotti does not seem to trust the La Fabrica prospect and wants a proven player at his disposal, leading to an interest in Wolves’ Rayan Ait-Nouri.
Now, though, they are believed to have identified Sandro as the right option given his experience at the highest level along with his solid all-round abilities. Even though he has not been in the best form, Real Madrid believe that a change of surroundings can help the Brazilian turn things around and are ready to make a move for him in January itself.
With only 18 months left on his contract and the club going through financial issues, Juventus might not stand in the way of an exit. It remains to be seen if Real Madrid are successful in signing Sandro in the upcoming transfer window.