Zinedine Zidane wants Real Madrid to offload up to seven players in the summer transfer window if Los Blancos president Florentino Perez stands a chance of bringing him back to Estadio Bernabeu, according to a speculative report in the Spanish media.

Alvaro Arbeloa is in charge of Real Madrid at the moment, but the defeat to Getafe at Estadio Bernabeu in LaLiga last weekend has weakened his chance of staying in the role for the long term.

For Arbeloa to keep his job beyond the end of the season, the Spaniard would have to win La Liga and/or the Champions League.

Madrid are already working behind the scenes regarding a new managerial appointment in the summer, with Jurgen Klopp at the top of president Perez’s wishlist.

Our friends at TEAMtalk have reported that former Liverpool manager Klopp is open to taking charge of Real Madrid this summer.

Zinedine Zidane is also admired by Madrid president Perez, with transfer guru Fabrizio Romanorevealing on his YouTube channelin January 2026: “Zinedine Zidane will always be in his heart, but Zinedine Zidane already has a verbal agreement with the French national team.”

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According to the latest reports in Spain, Zidane is ‘the alternative to Klopp’ and could ‘return’ to Estadio Bernabeu.

However, the French legend, who won LaLiga and the Champions League once each as a player and the Spanish championship twice and Europe’s premier club competition thrice as a manager of Madrid, ‘will only return if Real Madrid dismiss seven players’.

On the seven-man ‘blacklist’ are two 2025 summer signings, Dean Huijsen and Franco Mastantuono.

While defender Huijsen joined Madrid from Bournemouth for €59.5m, winger Mastantuono moved to Los Blancos from River Plate for €45m.

Huijsen is one of the first names on the Madrid teamsheet when he is fit and available, but his performances have been mixed.

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Mastantuono, the youngest player to ever feature in a competitive match?for Argentina, has had injury problems and is not guaranteed a place in the Madrid starting lineup.

Zidane is also said to want Madrid to sell midfielder Dani Ceballos and left-back Fran Garcia this summer.

The former France international midfielder is not keen on Brahim Diaz either and wants Los Blancos to offload the Morocco international attacker for good.

Andriy Lunin and David Alaba are on Madrid’s list of players to get rid of this summer.

While Lunin is the second-choice goalkeeper at Madrid, Alaba is out of contract at the end of the season and is set to leave as a free agent.

What should Real Madrid do with Zidane’s ‘blacklist’?

Given that this particular report comes from the Catalan media, one needs to treat it with extreme caution.

However, it is still worthwhile looking at what Madrid should do with the seven players that Zidane reportedly wants Madrid to offload.

Dean Huijsen – Keep

Huijsen is just starting his career, and Madrid invested a lot of money in him. There is no way that the Spanish and European giants will – or should – sell him.

Franco Mastantuono – Keep

As in the case of Huijsen, Mastantuono is extremely young and is one for the future. The 18-year-old Argentina international winger has shown his quality in glimpses, and he can only get better in the coming years.

Dani Ceballos – Keep

Dani Ceballos has never been a regular in the Madrid starting line-up and has always been a back-up. While the Spaniard is not at the level to win big matches for Los Blancos, if he is happy with his status as a squad player, then Madrid should keep him.

Fran Garcia – Sell

Alvaro Carreras is the number one left-back at Madrid and will be so for years to come. Fran Garcia is his back-up, and if Los Blancos are able to get a decent fee for him this summer, then they should sell him and sign a younger and cheaper replacement.

Brahim Diaz – Sell

Brahim Diaz is another Madrid player who is not good enough to start if the other attacking players are fit and available. If Los Blancos get a good offer for him this summer, then they should at least consider him, even though the Moroccan is a very good option to have in the squad.

Andriy Lunin – Sell

Thibaut Courtois is the number one goalkeeper at Madrid, and even though he is 33, he remains world class. Lunin is never going to get ahead of the Belgian in the team. It is time for Madrid to cut ties with the Ukraine international goalkeeper and find a suitable replacement who is younger and can eventually replace Courtois in the next few years.

David Alaba – Release

Romano has already said that Madrid will not hand Alaba a new contract. The defender has been severely affected by injuries in the last few years, and there is no point in Madrid keeping him beyond the end of the season.

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