Real Madrid set to finalize significant January signing, with five-time Premier League champion leading a three-man shortlist.

Real Madrid are set to sign a center-back in January after losing Eder Militao for the season due to an ACL injury he sustained during their 4-0 win over Osasuna on Saturday.

Militao’s injury has further highlighted Real Madrid’s vulnerability in defense, especially since they didn’t replace long-time center-back Nacho Fernandez last summer. With Militao now out, Spanish outlet AS reports that Real Madrid has committed to bringing in a new center-back this winter.

A shortlist of three top targets has already been compiled, with Al-Nassr’s Aymeric Laporte as Plan A. Laporte, who won five Premier League titles with Manchester City, tops the list. If Laporte isn’t attainable, Real Madrid’s Plan B is RB Leipzig’s Castello Lukeba, and Plan C is Bayer Leverkusen’s Jonathan Tah.

A return for club legend Sergio Ramos, who is currently a free agent, is not on the table. Real Madrid’s leadership has decided against signing a free agent or a short-term loan solution to cover Militao’s absence, instead prioritizing a player who can contribute long-term.

Laporte, followed by Lukeba and then Tah, represents Real Madrid’s preference among the three targets. Although signing Laporte wouldn’t require a massive fee, he would need to accept a pay cut to leave Saudi Arabia. Lukeba would come with the highest price tag, while Tah could be a more affordable option due to his contract expiring next summer, making January Leverkusen’s last opportunity to sell him for

a fee.