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Real Madrid captain Dani Carvajal has undergone surgery on his right knee, prompting outside intermediaries to sound out options for short-term cover.
Among the names brought forward is Türkiye international Zeki Celik, currently playing for Roma in Italy’s Serie A.
Reports close to the club say calls from Italian intermediaries have explored what Madrid might do at right-back—the defensive position on the right side of the back line—in the weeks ahead.
Multiple digital outlets, including those cited by Defensa Central, report that intermediaries have offered Zeki Celik of Roma as a potential solution in the winter transfer window, the mid-season registration period in European football.
Sources describe Celik as available for a fee in the region of €5 million ($5.8 million), with his renewal at Roma still unresolved.
For now, the club is not treating a signing as inevitable and is gauging Carvajal’s recovery before making a move.
One report notes hope that the captain could feature again sooner than expected if everything goes perfectly, while others frame the lay-off in months rather than weeks.
As one account put it, “Dani Carvajal is a physical beast,” but the staff will proceed carefully.
Any January calculus would also consider that Turkey international Arda Guler is already part of the squad, while right-back depth will hinge on medical updates and form across the back line. Intermediary proposals remain just that—proposals—until Madrid decides whether to act in January.
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