16 points behind in the Spanish "La Liga" championship, Zinedine Zidane's resignation from the position of head coach, and Cristiano Ronaldo's departure this summer were supposed to be the main reasons for the changes in Real Madrid team. Few could imagine that the always star-studded Madrid Real team, known for its acquisitions of global-level stars, would not seek reinforcement in attack this summer, when a man who scored 450 goals in nine years left the club. The royal club still has some time, but it's already clear that there will be no high-profile signings within the "white" ranks. Real Madrid is going through an unusual era - since 2013, the club has earned more from sales than it has spent on new players. After Cristiano Ronaldo's departure, the total average of Real Madrid team transfers is +49.65 million euros. The "Whites" not only managed to earn from players and not lose quality in their composition, but they also became an unstoppable force in Europe - since 2013, they have won the UEFA Champions League four out of five times. It's hard to believe, but since 2014, Real Madrid has sold more players than they have acquired. This summer was just another proof that the royal club of the Spanish capital has changed its transfer policy - the most expensive purchase this summer was Thibaut Courtois, costing the club 35 million euros. The team was further strengthened by a group of young players - Alvaro Odriozola, Andriy Lunin, and players already belonging to the club like Vinicius Junior, Federico Valverde, and Raul De Tomas. Apart from Thibaut Courtois, it's doubtful that anyone is familiar with the surnames of other new Real Madrid players. It is still not ruled out that the "Los Blancos" may receive a new striker, but the talks of Florentino Perez and Julen Lopetegui do not lead in that direction. So, what happened to a club that earned the title of "galacticos" and has been making more from player sales than from acquiring the biggest football stars since 2014?
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Far East projects. It has to be understood that Real Madrid is no longer the financially strongest club in the world. The Whites' financial situation improves every year and the debts in banks decrease, but this club is no longer the only big player in the transfer market. As early as 2013, when Gareth Bale was bought from Tottenham for 100 million euros, it seemed that Real Madrid was making incomprehensible moves. It was hard to imagine that any other club in the near future would spend as much or even more than the club managed by Florentino Perez. A few years later, Manchester United already pays 105 million euros for their former pupil to Turin's Juventus, and a few more years later Paris Saint-Germain shakes up the football world with the acquisition of Neymar.
Manchester United is not a factor that made Real Madrid seriously think about inflation, the main factor is the billions coming from the Far East and their owners. Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City, China - these are the reasons why historical clubs should seriously consider their future in the transfer market. Real Madrid or Barcelona will never belong to an organization or a billionaire from Qatar - these are clubs that belong to the state and its people. The Madrid team understands that PSG is currently the most dangerous player in the football market and for that reason, good relationships are nurtured between the clubs. If PSG team risks being fined for FFP ("Financial Fair Play") by paying 220 million euros for a player, Real Madrid is inching closer to the edge. The club cannot spend 220 million euros on a single player and hope that shirt sales will redeem the transfer fee and reduce debts in banks.
Real Madrid and other big clubs every time they present an offer worth more than 150 million euros for a player, are getting closer to clubs controlled by billionaires from Qatar who are willing to pay twice as much for a player. If Real and Barcelona can spend 100 million euros on a new goalkeeper, PSG and Man City can lay down 200 million euros. The only brake pedal for such clubs is UEFA.
Real Madrid is no longer financially capable of competitively fighting against Qatar's billionaire-controlled clubs in the crazy transfer market. The new sports model of Florentino Perez. Over the five years when Real Madrid earned more than it spent in the transfer market, it can be said that Florentino Perez has truly changed. The long-standing president of the Whites' team was the person who recreated the "galactic" era - in 2000-03 Zidane, Luis Figo, Ronaldo, and David Beckham arrived in Madrid, in 2009 Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Xabi Alonso and Karim Benzema. There is nothing similar in today's Real Madrid team. Recently, the team invests in future stars or talented Spaniards - the Whites first emphasized that in 2017 they paid 45 million euros for 16-year-old Vinicius Junior, and this summer they paid another 40 million euros for 17-year-old Brazilian Rodrygo.
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Real Madrid saves money only as much as the team is still capable of fighting for titles. If a season unfolds unsuccessfully, in which experience and talent are trusted, next summer it can be expected a drastic step of the Real Madrid team in the transfer market.
