Zinedine Zidane has already started working on his 2019-20 version of Real Madrid, but before there can be any new signings, there has to be some transfers away from the club. The French boss knows this, and reports coming in from Spain have revealed the first three names on his transfer list.
A report by Spanish newspaper Marca states that Zidane, as promised, has started to have one-on-one meetings with his players to tell them face-to-face if he wants to have them around for the next season or not. So far, Zidane has held four meetings, with three of those leaving long faces.
Unsurprisingly, the first player to have a chat with Zidane was Gareth Bale. The Welshman will be transferred away from the Bernabeu this summer, mainly due to his lack of commitment to the team and because of his poor relationship with Zidane. His failure to step up as Cristiano Ronaldo's replacement was the final nail on the coffin of his six-year stay at the Bernabeu. The Welsh ace might have played his last game at the Bernabeu, especially since he was left out of the squad that defeated Villarreal on Sunday.
The next player to step into Zidane's office was Marcos Llorente. The homegrown midfielder enjoyed a good spell under Santiago Solari, but had few chances to show his worth to Zidane once the French boss returned. While fans still appreciate his contribution during a dismal season, Llorente will not play for Los Blancos next season.
The last player to have his future sorted out was Dani Ceballos, a midfielder that never had a good feeling or relationship with Zidane. Ceballos played just 178 minutes since Zidane's appointment, and the former Betis midfielder will most-likely be involved in the team's upcoming negotiations to lower the cost of incoming players.
According to Marca, the last player to step into Zizou's office was Marcelo. While the general outcry this season has seen Real Madrid fans asking for a new left-back, Zidane seems determined to keep the Brazilian footballer around, although details of their meeting have not been revealed. With that in mind, Marcelo could still leave the club to join Cristiano Ronaldo at Juventus, as it was rumored weeks ago.
