Real Madrid aware of problem in midfield but not finding ideal solution in the market | OneFootball

A fresh report from AS has laid bare what many have been thinking for months: Real Madrid are clearly suffering from the lack of a true creative midfielder.

Despite having assembled one of the most star-studded squads in Europe, the glaring absence of a playmaker, someone who can dictate tempo and unlock defences, remains a concern.

While the club is aware of the issue, they do not see any clear candidate to address this problem.

Madrid’s transfer window has already been impressive on paper, with top-tier names like Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen, and Franco Mastantuono joining the fold, and Alvaro Carreras potentially on the way.

Yet none of these signings solve the central issue. The team’s struggle for creativity was exposed once again in their Club World Cup opener against Al-Hilal, where Madrid looked structurally solid but lacked ideas in the final third.

The search for a playmaker stalls

Within the Madrid boardroom, the most repeated question is: “Okay, but who?” The reality is that finding the right profile, a technically gifted, visionary midfielder who can fit into the demanding style of Real Madrid, has proved elusive.

Several names have been considered, but each comes with a red flag. To begin with, Martin Zubimendi is already off the table, heading to Arsenal after the Gunners agreed to pay more than his €60 million release clause.

PSG will not let Real Madrid come near Vitinha. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

PSG’s Vitinha is simply unattainable due to strained relations between the clubs. Angelo Stiller, while promising, has not convinced Madrid’s technical staff that he’s the answer.

There were also faint whispers about Enzo Fernandez and Alexis Mac Allister, but both come with massive price tags and no guarantee of availability this summer.

As things stand, the situation looks likely to drag on into the final days of August. The management does not want to make a rushed or forced signing, but their hesitation might come at the cost of results if the creative void continues to impact key matches.

The diagnosis is clear – But the cure is complicated

The situation has left Madrid in a tactical bind. With no Luka Modric-like presence to conduct play from next season, the responsibility often falls unevenly on Jude Bellingham, Federico Valverde, and Eduardo Camavinga, none of whom are natural creators.

The result? A lack of cohesion and unpredictability when it matters most.

Real Madrid might wait for the perfect profile to emerge late in the window, but for now, their midfield continues to function without a conductor.

The squad is built to dominate, but unless they solve this problem, the team’s ceiling will remain capped. The elephant in the room has been acknowledged, but taming it is proving far more difficult than anyone expected.