The reason why clubs such as Real Madrid remain so successful is because they’re always evolving.
It isn’t a case of them not being happy with their lot, but moreover being one step ahead of the competition.
If you sit still you stagnate. Keep moving and the change is going to come. That’s as true in life as it is in football.
The trick, certainly for a football club, is to continue to hit the sweet spot in terms of the right hires on and off the field, as well as being commercially astute in any business dealings.
Nacho is the latest big name to leave Real Madrid
Not many clubs manage to get both spot on, but Los Blancos have been at the top of Spanish and European football for years for a reason.
Even when the biggest of names have left the club – Figo, Ronaldo, Zidane, Beckham et al – they’ve coped admirably. Often they’ve been able to replace one big star with another, and so the wheel at the Santiago Bernabeu continues to turn.
Now it seems that long-serving stalwart, Nacho, is the next in line to walk through the exit door but his next destination is, as yet, unknown.
“Nacho has informed Real Madrid of his wish to leave the club at the end of the season, and we are waiting for the formal steps now,” Fabrizio Romano said to CaughtOffside for his exclusive Daily Briefing.
“He doesn’t want to leave while he’s a sub, he wants to leave Real Madrid in a beautiful and good moment for the club and for him.
“Inter are interested but it looks very difficult because Nacho wants to keep all options open – even from clubs outside Europe.”
With Luka Modric and Toni Kross getting no younger either, the make up of the Real squad over the next 12 months will start to look a little different and more youthful.
The evolution rather than revolution of the squad is necessary, and Los Blancos are diligent in the way in which they achieve their end goal, despite such decisions seeming to be of incredible magnitude.
At 34 years of age, it’s hard to judge how long Nacho has left at the top level, though there’ll surely be no shortage of takers for a player that has top-level experience par excellence.