Real Madrid ratings guide: Five stars for Eden Hazard and Sergio Ramos, Takefusa Kubo can go all the way

Keylor Navas – He doesn’t have the name but he certainly has the stars in our book. Not only a superb shot-stopper but so composed where the more feted recent goalkeeping recruit is not. Into his sixth season at Real Madrid and has resisted being pushed out. Bravo. ****1/2

Thibaut Courtois – The man with the Golden Glove has been anything but a precious commodity since leaving Russia last season. The former Chelsea stopper made several high-profile blunders in 2018/19 and it’s only continued into the pre-season. There’s a great keeper in there somewhere, though.  ***1/2 (Potential ****1/2)

DEFENDERS

Sergio Ramos – This is a big season for Ramos. Eder Militao’s purchase for €50m will surely have lit a fire under the Spain captain, who will turn 34 next March. A leader, a goal-scorer, a natural passer and still a fine defender – they aren’t common traits in centre-backs. Will he spearhead Real’s rejuvenation? *****

Dani Carvajal – At his best, Carvajal is one of the most versatile full-backs in world football. At his worst – and we saw a fair bit of that in 2018/19 – he can lose his head in an already incendiary Real back-line. Alvaro Odriozola hasn’t really put the pressure on and he could really do with some.  ****1/2

Marcelo – The Brazilian will never hold tutorials on the art of defending, that much is true. He has however been one of Madrid’s standout performers in an otherwise worrisome pre-season, chipping in with a goal and two assists. As long as he’s pointing north there’s not much problem. Will the rest of the defence cover for him this year?   ****1/2

Raphael Varane – Does Varane’s reputation outstrip his ability? It’s a legitimate question given that he failed to step up where Ramos floundered last year. There’s the feeling that he is a mere complementary piece rather than a cornerstone of a team, be it for Real or France. He’s still only 26 but he’ll also be feeling the pressure from Militao.    **** (Potential ****1/2)

Eder Militao – Teams don’t spend €50m for mere bench-warmers, even if it’s moneybags Madrid doing the cash splashing. It took just one season at Porto to convince real to part with that figure, as the boy from Sao Paulo flashed the same combo of silk and steel that made compatriot Thiago Silva one of the best in the world. An intriguing battle awaits at centre-back.    ***1/2 (Potential ****1/2)

Ferland Mendy – Militao can target two of those centre-backs. The €48m Mendy, however, has both eyes on Marcelo’s spot on the left flank. Another interesting dynamic is that Mendy is 24, so he’s hardly of an age to want to sit and wait on the bench. Many of Lyon’s attacks went through Mendy last season and there’s nothing stopping him taking on the same role at Madrid. Game on.    *** (Potential ****1/2)

Alvaro Odriozola – It was a bizarre first campaign for the former Real Sociedad man in the Spanish capital before a clavicle fracture ended his season. A player of awesome attacking potential – he can also play as a winger – it was feast or famine in 2018/19 as he either played instead of Carvajal, or was watching from the stands. His second season has to be better.  *** (Potential ****)

Nacho – The ultimate team man and the epitome of solid. The 29-year-old could probably have found his fortune elsewhere at various points during his career, but is happy to be used as a spare part right across the Madrid back-line. Indeed he’s not yet reached 200 appearances in a 10-year career.  ***

MIDFIELDERS

Toni Kroos – The Kroos/Casemiro/Modric triumvirate became bent out of shape last season and it was certainly true that the German metronome’s radar was off. A common criticism is a tendency to slow play down while others will call it measured. Beauty may be in the eye of the beholder and in Real’s case, they had no problem tying down their elegant passer to a new long-term deal in May.   ****1/2

Luka Modric – Lost in the derision over the most controversial Ballon d’Or winner of all time was the fact that Modric remains an excellent player. Sadly, he didn’t do himself justice with a pedestrian 2018/19 (a rather common theme …) Not only the physical strain in those 33-year-old legs, it may also have been the mental drain of losing a World Cup final. If he’s used wisely, expect him to return to somewhere near his best. ****1/2

Isco – There’s no denying that Isco is a wonderful player. There’s also no denying it is becoming increasingly hard to envisage him ever nailing down a consistent position for Madrid. It helps that Zinedine Zidane is a big admirer, yet even he would hesitate building a team around an attacker who ceaselessly roams – often to the detriment of the whole team. Can he redeem himself?  ****1/2

Casemiro – The nuts-and-bolts man to what is often a flimsy side. The Brazilian is not without his flaws and certainly has his limitations on the ball, but there are currently no other members of the Madrid dressing room that can anchor a midfield with the same diligence and feistiness.  ****

James Rodriguez – Has never found his feet at Real Madrid, never truly fit in at Bayern Munich and his best position is the lesser-spotted No.10. If Los Blancos need to balance the books, the Colombian is an obvious casualty and it’s difficult to imagine him still situated at the Bernabeu come September.   ***1/2

Fede Valverde – Real have cleared their books of city-hopper Marcos Llorente, Arsenal loanee Dani Ceballos and Chelsea’s own Mateo Kovavic, which has suddenly made Valverde a rather important member of the midfield. A holding player who can spot a pass, the 21-year-old cannot simply be called Casemiro’s back-up from now on. ***1/2 (Potential: ****)

Takefusa Kubo – The ‘Japanese Messi’ could well be shipped out on loan but, boy has been electric in white so far. In the glimpses we’ve seen, Kubo has the dexterity, burst and poise that is – faintly – reminiscent of you-know-who. He just needs to add about 600 goals over the next decade … but taking tongue out of cheeks, the 18-year-old can set tongues wagging.  *** (Potential: *****)

ATTACKERS

Eden Hazard – No one is ever going to replace Cristiano Ronaldo so don’t even go there, whether the Belgian is the new No7 or not. But after carrying Chelsea’s attack on his back for so long, Hazard is every bit a superstar and he’ll be better guarded from the fouls he used to have to ride in the Premier League. *****

Karim Benzema – Sport360 is a pro-Benzema zone. He is the man that Ronaldo would link up with to devastating effect more often than not, and without him he stepped up to the plate to produce 21 La Liga goals. The Frenchman didn’t have a partner in crime, and in Hazard, he may well develop another prolific partnership.  ****1/2

Gareth Bale – Bale may be enemy No1 at the Bernabeu but that does nothing to dull his class in our eyes. The only problems there have been with Bale is that he’s not Ronaldo – a minor one – and he is so often injured, which is a legitimate gripe. If he’s used on a rotational basis, providing he stays at the club, that may be what his fragile frame needs. He’d be a pretty expensive bench-warmer in any case.  ****1/2

Luka Jovic – Easy, Benzema-haters, Jovic is going to take a little time to adapt. His pre-season was disrupted with a niggle that he has seemingly recovered from in time for the season, but it didn’t help his case for immediate starting duties. A dead-eye finisher – with left foot, right foot and head – the former Frankfurt hitman must convince Zidane he’s worth a spot in a 4-4-2.    **** (Potential ****1/2)

Marco Asensio – The frontrunner for a starting spot on the right-hand side of an attacking trio, Asensio’s likely season-long injury was a bitter blow. Real have for so long yearned for some more thrust from the third prong of their attack and the 23-year-old, coming off another formidable campaign with the Spain Under-23s, may well have blossomed this season. **** (Potential: ****1/2) (INJURED)

Vinicius Jr – The teenager injected some rare magic into an often moribund Real attack in 2018/19. It often wasn’t the prettiest contribution, nor the most intelligent, but that freewheeling style should be cultivated rather than curtailed. We don’t know what Zidane truly thinks of him given the injury that ended his season – give him a chance, Zizou.  ***1/2 (Potential: *****)

Lucas Vazquez – Much like Nacho in that the Spaniard has probably hit his ceiling, but his floor is rather high up from the ground level. The 28-year-old is a tenacious, tactically astute and trustworthy right winger who is likely to start the season as Zidane’s first choice on that side. Don’t expect to be swept off your feet, though. ***1/2

Rodrygo –  Interestingly enough, Zidane has tried out his newest 18-year-old Brazilian in attacking midfield during pre-season. He has certainly given Real some thrust, the highlight being a sensational free-kick against Bayern Munich. Will likely stay in Castilla this season alongside Kubo. *** (Potential: ****1/2)

Brahim Diaz – Diaz left Manchester City to seek out first-team football … only to find himself trying out a different bench. The 20-year-old has a chance to plant his flag, though, given Asensio’s ailment and if sturdiness in defence is married to his natural style in attack, he has a future on the right.  *** (Potential: ****)

Mariano – The odd one out on an ever-lengthening list of attackers at the Bernabeu. His homecoming, to put it bluntly, was horrendous last season as he managed just three starts in the league all season. A fine striker who evidently is not up to scratch in the build-up, he is best off seeking pastures new.  **