TEAMtalk takes an in-depth look at 10 top stars who could become the new Galacticos at Real Madrid this summer as the arrival of Kylian Mbappe heralds a new dawn at The Bernabeu.

Every now and then Florentino Perez channels his inner Nick Fury and looks to assemble the Avengers of World Football he names the ‘Galacticos’. The elite of the elite for the world’s biggest club. Tools to help him dominate.

Whether it was the 2000 window where he signed Luis Figo from bitter rivals Barcelona along with Claude Makelele (Chelsea) and Santiago Solari (Atletico Madrid), or the 2013 window of then world-record signing Gareth Bale in the same summer as Isco, Casemiro, Carvajal, Perez has had so many memorable transfer windows where he’s signed a bunch of ‘Galacticos’ who all went on to achieve so much at the club.

The best window of them all was the 2009 summer transfer window when Perez broke the world record fee twice with Kaka first, then Cristiano Ronaldo second. During that same window he also signed Karim Benzema, Xabi Alonso, Raul Albiol, Alvaro Arbeloa, Alvaro Negredo and Esteban Granero.

It’s not unheard of that Perez would do this and in between these big windows, he’ll go each year signing one main statement signing to bolster the squad. Last season it was Jude Bellingham, the year before Aurelien Tchouameni with free agent Antonio Rudiger. Now he’s due a big Galactico window, but who could he sign?

Kylian Mbappe – Paris Saint Germain

The Mbappe to Real Madrid saga is probably the football equivalent of a Ross and Rachel from Friends “will they, won’t they” situation. Everyone knows it’s going to happen, the two are made for each other, stop messing about and link up. Right now, Mbappe is the best player on the planet and Real Madrid are the World’s biggest club. It was meant to be. Kylian Mbappe is the final infinity stone for Florentino Perez to assemble an elite squad of Galacticos and create another footballing dynasty.

The prospect of Real Madrid on a counterattack with the likes of Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham charging at a defence is scary. When Perez inevitably gets his man, there will be huge expectations for Mbappe to reach new heights and lead them to glory and solidify himself as the undisputed best player in the world.

Alphonso Davies – Bayern Munich

One position Real Madrid have lacked in is at left back. They previously signed Ferland Mendy from Lyon who’s been hit and miss. Then last summer they resigned academy graduate Fran Garcia who had spent the previous three seasons at Rayo Vallecano after initially joining on a one-year loan in 2020, then permanently in 2021 for €2m with a buy-back clause of €5m.

Neither player is a ‘Galactico’ level player so it’s natural that Florentino Perez would go out there looking for that next Galactico.

Another former Real Madrid academy player in Miguel Guiterrez (Girona) has been heavily linked to Real Madrid, however it’s Alphonso Davies who they’ve agreed to sign in the future.

The Canadian left-back joined Bayern Munich from Vancouver Whitecaps in 2019 where he played as a winger but early on he was played at left-back for Bayern to fill in for injured players and hasn’t moved since.

Davies is one of the fastest players in the world and loves to bomb down the left-hand side. If put in the same team on the same side as Mbappe, it will be a dangerous combination.

Endrick – Palmeiras

One player who Real Madrid have already agreed a deal to sign is Palmeiras superstar Endrick. The 17-year-old striker agreed a €45m deal to join Real Madrid a while back but it was for the future when he would turn 18.

So Endrick won’t join the squad and the deal won’t officially go through until this summer. But when he does join, he’ll be able to learn from his new Brazilian colleagues and the incoming superstar striker Mbappe.

Endrick is a truly gifted player blessed with technical and physical brilliance. He’ll fit in perfectly at Real Madrid.

Leny Yoro – LOSC Lille

Another position Real Madrid haven’t invested in a young option yet is at centre-back and one of the best young centre-backs is Leny Yoro.

The 18-year-old Lille defender has already played 54 games for Lille’s first team despite being so young and it’s all down to just how good he is for a defender so young. Yoro is so mature and composed on the ball.

Yoro reads the game so well and is an excellent last-man defender. Just when you think you’ve managed to run in behind Lille’s defence and you’re through on goal, the Giraffe legs of Yoro sweep around you taking you out and then winning the ball. The timing, the recovery pace, the technique; it’s all top drawer.

Trent Alexander-Arnold – Liverpool

Trent Alexander-Arnold has won every trophy possible at Liverpool and done so at such a young age meaning he still has so much of his career ahead of him.

Currently in the Real Madrid squad, there’s one position where the main starter is an older player and there isn’t a solid successor for the future for that position. That’s right back.

Trent may look for a new challenge and what better challenge than to go play for the biggest club in the world alongside his best friend Jude Bellingham.

Alexander-Arnold moving across to Real Madrid wouldn’t be the first time Perez has bought one of the best English players from the Premier League.

David Beckham, Steve McManaman, Michael Owen to name a few. At Real Madrid he’d be given more licence to push on down the right wing or come central to create from deep and revolutionise the right back position.

Alessandro Bastoni – Inter Milan

At centre-back, Real Madrid need additions. In fact, the only left-footed centre back they have right now is David Alaba who’s great at reading the game and on the ball but has limitations aerially being a shorter centre-back. On top of that, the average age of their central defenders is 30.5 years old, with Eder Militao (26) the youngest of the bunch.

Alessandro Bastoni would instantly lower that average age as he’s 25 ad about to come into his prime. On top of that, Bastoni has that ‘Galactico’ level talent. He’s one of the best passing defenders in the world and as a 6’3” commanding centre-back, he has so many sides to the game he can affect. Aerially he’s so strong, but it’s his passing from deep which is most impressive.

William Saliba – Arsenal

Arsenal have been building a great squad under Mikel Arteta, but with a lack of trophies it may tempt Florentino Perez to make a move for one of their top players – and the fact that William Saliba is one of the best young players in a position that Real Madrid needs could spell danger for Arsenal.

Saliba is one of the calmest defenders on the ball, so much composure, so much of a presence.

With Real Madrid needing new defenders, Saliba could be another option Perez looks to sign instead of Yoro. Real Madrid tend to have so many of the best French players and with Mbappe on the way, Camavinga, Tchouameni and Mendy already there, maybe Saliba is another Frenchman Madrid will look to sign.

Estevao – Palmeiras

One market Real Madrid and Florentino Perez tends to dominate is the South American market, especially in Brazil.

Marcelo (Fluminense), Robinho (Santos), Casemiro (Sao Paulo), Vinicius Junior (Flamengo), Rodrygo (Santos) and soon to join Endrick (Palmeiras) are all players Madrid signed directly from Brazil. Estevao is the biggest talent in Brazil who is yet to move to another team and he’s just now breaking into the first team at Palmeiras where he’s impressed so much already and scored on his first start for the club.

Estevao has so many big clubs looking at him including PSG, Manchester City, Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and rivals Barcelona.

He is a left-footed right-winger with the trickery and skills similar to that of a young Neymar when he first broke into the Santos first team. Estevao may end up at their rivals Barcelona as he’s previously mentioned wanting to go there, but that hasn’t stopped Florentino Perez in the past.

Franco Mastantuono – River Plate

Another future star from South America Real Madrid may look to agree a deal for is Franco Mastantuono of River Plate.

The creative attacking midfielder can play as a No.10 or a right winger and in both positions, he loves to float around creating for those around him but in addition he has so much ball-striking ability and that type of ability to win a match for you in an instant.

Mastantuono is so special and will go to one of the big clubs in the future, but could it be Real Madrid? Again, they’ll have a lot of competition. One of the main other teams interested in him is Manchester City who have recently signed his River Plate teammate Claudio Echeverri. This may give City the upper hand in the negotiations.

Giorgi Mamardashvili – Valencia

One other position Real Madrid may look to sign is a future keeper, a Courtois successor. The Belgian keeper is one of the best, if not the best, shot-stopper in the world but unfortunately he’s had two knee injuries this season. The first one was an ACL tear, then the second was a meniscus tear.

With so much damage to his knee it’s unsure whether he’ll return as the same player or if he’ll be able to come straight back into the team. Real Madrid may look to sign another top shot-stopper. There’s the likes of Kobel, Alisson, Maignan, Donnarumma, Bulka but Real Madrid may look to sign a younger option.

Benfica’s Anatoliy Trubin has been linked but as has Valencia’s Giorig Mamardashvili.

Mamardashvili fits the Courtois mould being that he’s also 6’6”. The Georgian keeper is also much better with the ball at his feet which is a bonus if Real Madrid are wanting to play out from the back, but they may not as they haven’t with Courtois.