Real Madrid transfer news: 'Meteoric rise' of centre-back catches Xabi Alonso's eye as 'remarkable' talent wanted for future

Real Madrid have identified River Plate centre-back Lautaro Ruben Rivero Cruz as a key part of their future defence, the latest report has revealed.

Los Blancos were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Rayo Vallecano on Sunday in La Liga, though they are still five points ahead of second-placed Barcelona.

Head coach Xabi Alonso has guided his side to four clean sheets in their last six fixtures, and though there are concerns about the team's forward line, defenders such as Dean Huijsen have impressed.

Huijsen was signed from Bournemouth in the summer, and the 20-year-old is expected to be a mainstay in the team's backline for years to come.

Fichajes report that Real are hoping to sign another centre-back next summer, with River Plate's Lautaro Rivero said to be a target, though the 22-year-old is also attracting interest from Atletico Madrid and Tottenham Hotspur.

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Real Madrid's defence: Are they ready to dominate in Europe?

The Spanish giants have already started somewhat of a revolution in the backline, with right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, left-back Alvaro Fernandez and centre-back Huijsen all signed in the summer.

Alexander-Arnold has taken time to settle into the XI, and injury problems have not helped him, but there is no doubting his quality.

Real Madrid boasted arguably the best defence in Europe in the 2010s, with Marcelo, Pepe, Sergio Ramos and Dani Carvajal marshalling the backline.

It is incredibly difficult for teams to win major honours without a strong defence, but the future looks bright for Los Blancos given the signings they have made.

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Where should Real Madrid strengthen in the summer transfer window?

Though the club boast attacking stars such as Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior, it may be a sensible idea if they looked to add further to their offensive ranks.

Vinicius Junior and Mbappe both prefer to operate on the left and can at time struggle when asked to battle in central areas against imposing centre-backs, something that they struggled with when they played Liverpool and Rayo Vallecano in the past week.

Bayern Munich talisman Harry Kane has been linked, but while he would add considerably to the squad, he is 32 and would not represent a long-term investment.

Manchester City's Erling Haaland has been linked, though it remains to be seen if Real would be able to tempt the English side into selling the Norwegian.