The two most talked-about events in the capital city of Madrid over the past weekend were the celebration of Coach Carlo Ancelotti and his team’s 36th La Liga championship title after defeating Granada, and the announcement of Kylian Mbappe’s departure from PSG.

With the season in Spain seemingly coming to a close for the Galaxy, attention now turns to a different kind of battle: who will depart from the Bernabeu and who will stay to compete for a starting spot next season?

Modric, please stay

Only goalkeeper Kepa knows for sure that he won’t continue in the capital city of Madrid because Thibaut Courtois has returned from injury, and Andriy Lunin has established himself in Carlo Ancelotti’s plans. For more practical reasons, his loan contract expires in July, and he’ll return to Chelsea.

The significant roles of most players whose contracts expire at the end of this season have made personnel management seemingly impossible for President Florentino Perez and Ancelotti. Those whose influence contributed to the La Liga championship, the Spanish Super Cup, and the opportunity to lift the 15th Champions League trophy at Wembley in early June will all see their contracts end on June 30.

During the celebration of the titles with teammates on the balcony overlooking the square where tens of thousands of Madridistas crowded, Luka Modric listened emotionally to the chants: “Stay, Luka.” The number 10, once again, crafted an artistic scenario or created an interesting game against Granada.

He directed the game according to his will, and as he left the field, the saddened home fans stood up to applaud him. For the Croatian midfielder, he has always been the eternal flame for Real Madrid.

Real Madrid will definitely have a big change in personnel this summer.

And there’s no greater honor for Modric than extending his contract until the summer of 2025, where he can still sprint 80 meters to thwart a scoring opportunity, reminiscent of his performance against Bayern in the Champions League semifinal as if he were just 20 years old. Or simply to continue showcasing his talents on the field.

If Kylian Mbappe arrives, Modric, please stay. Keep the midfielder’s number 10 and let Mbappe emerge with as much humility as possible. For the Croatian midfielder is invaluable with his talent and loyalty.

In the midfield, there’s another scenario with Toni Kroos, whose final decision Real will await, as the German maestro has a different thought and feeling about this sport. He is expected to stay for another year because this creativity cannot be stopped.

If Mbappe appears…

A major upheaval is looming over the Bernabeu this summer, making everything potentially more complicated. Joselu will face challenges he’s never encountered before in his career: Kylian Mbappe and Endrick. The Spanish striker is an undisputed hero after scoring a brace to help Real Madrid eliminate Bayern and reach the Champions League final in early June.

His numbers have taken on a different meaning for someone accustomed to a substitute role in the attack: 17 goals across all competitions in 2,000 minutes. You won’t find many forwards capable of such a feat this season. But will this be enough to convince Perez to buy him outright for €1.5 million from Espanyol, especially when he already has four stars in the attacking lineup for the upcoming season?

In defense, Lucas Vazquez is ending the season in top form, with a stellar performance in the El Clasico match that saw Barcelona surrender. Real Madrid will bet on him continuing as Carvajal’s backup on the right flank.

Nacho’s situation is different; he has always envisioned himself as a lifelong player for the club. But the number 6 knows he will be the fourth-choice center-back next season when Militao and Alaba return, and that scenario won’t always be easy. Although the club will always offer him a contract to continue, Nacho will have to carefully consider his position as a captain.