3 things Perez must do to find renewed success at Real Madrid

He ran unopposed, though in truth who could stop him?

Florentino Perez, the man who built Real Madrid into a domestic and continental juggernaut once again, has been reelected as president of the club through 2021.

The 70-year-old has a few areas he'll need to address in the coming years. Here are three things Perez must do to find continued success in his third term.

Build the post-Ronaldo squad

Cristiano Ronaldo may be eyeing a move away from Spain after being accused of defrauding Spanish tax authorities of €15 million, but for Perez, the issue of replacing Ronaldo was one he likely had to face at some point in the next five years anyway; at 32, Ronaldo just isn't a long-term option anymore. He is currently contracted through to 2021, but one must imagine he won't be starting when he's in his late 30s.

How Perez handles this tricky obstacle could very well define his third tenure at the helm, for replacing Ronaldo is no easy task. Perez has a propensity for spending on star-power ahead of strategic need. As such, names like Robert Lewandowski and Eden Hazard are likely to emerge, but Perez could sign a younger player like Kylian Mbappe, instead.

Whatever Perez decides on, he'll need to do his homework. For, when Perez signed James Rodriguez in 2014, he explained: "I do not know how James plays ... But he had a great World Cup and we wanted him here." That sort of transfer policy just won't cut it in this case. Perez needs to get this one right.

Resist the temptation of change

Real Madrid is a massive business and brand as much as it is a successful football club, and with that comes the pressures of marketing departments and other commercial interests which don't necessarily go hand-in-hand with the building of a sustainable, low-turnover squad with lots of good chemistry.

Beloved manager Zinedine Zidane has a team of pragmatic players like Toni Kroos, Raphael Varane, Isco, Casemiro, and Luka Modric at its core, and as Perez learned over a decade ago in dealing Claude Makelele to Chelsea, selling these less-heralded names for star signings is a recipe for disaster.

There's no questioning the quality of players on offer at the Santiago Bernabeu, but the celebrity of some of Madrid's key figures is lacking, and as it stands, Real Madrid's continued success might make shirt sales a bit stale. Resisting the temptation to make changes for the sake of change, or for outside interests, will be an ongoing battle through Perez's latest tenure.

Continue investing in Spanish youth

It's no secret that Spain's Under-21 ranks run deep and rich with talent, and as seen in the case of players like Marco Asensio, Real Madrid would do well to continue to invest and entrust some first-team responsibilities to this next generation of footballing greats from the Iberian peninsula.

Perez's Real Madrid teams of yesteryear weren't necessarily renowned for their development of young Spanish talent, but local heroes have been a key part to their successes nonetheless; look no further than the likes of Iker Casillas, Raul, and Sergio Ramos for more well-known examples.

In recent years, Perez has been a touch more pragmatic with his signings and has allowed the club to grow into a stronger development hub for Spain's up-and-coming stars - players like Dani Carvajal, Isco, and Nacho are all the better for it. Even if Alvaro Morata departs to find more playing time, that shouldn't discourage Madrid from putting a few more chips on red, as it were.

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)