Real Madrid Transfers: 10 Players Zidane Should Sign

8. Kurt Zouma

Forget dressing room unrest and underperforming stars, one of the fundamental problems Madrid have been having this season is at the back. "Equilibro" was a word use so much by Carlo Ancelotti (literally translated to "balance", in case you hadn't got there yourself) that it became a running joke at Madrid. Very few will have been laughing though when Barcelona ran out 4-0 winners in the Clasico, a collapse almost entirely down to Benitez failing to strike any balance between attack and defence. A new player doesn't necessarily solve this problem outright, but even the most solid fan of his unique back-raking, eye-gouging style must accept that Pepe's time at Madrid is coming to an end. If Zidane puts a centre-back at the top of his list, then there are an extraordinary number of factors that make Zouma the ideal candidate. Firstly and foremost, his ability as a footballer is already beyond question, and his strength, pace, technique on the ball and in the tackle have all caught the eye over the last year. His combination of age and experience, being a Premier League winner and international regular at the age of 21, as well as his familiarity with Raphael Varane. Plus, obviously, he's French, and will thusly regard Zidane as some sort of god-like master of the beautiful game.