Xabi Alonso is expected to be appointed as Real Madrid’s new manager soon.
According to reports, Xabi Alonso has already made his first big decision for Real Madrid, ahead of his presumed appointment as the club’s new manager.
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It was announced on Friday afternoon that Alonso will leave Bayer Leverkusen at the end of the season after over two and a half years as coach.
During this period, the Spaniard led Leverkusen to their first Bundesliga title – part of an unbeaten treble that also included the DFB-Pokal and the German Super Cup – last season.
This season, Leverkusen will finish second in the German top division and reach the last eight of the Champions League.
Former Real Madrid midfielder Alonso is expected to replace Carlo Ancelotti as manager of Los Blancos at the end of the season.
There has been no public announcement made about the Italian’s future, but The Athletic reports that he has made a verbal decision to leave the club following their crushing loss to Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Ancelotti is then expected to take over as Brazil national team coach before the 2026 World Cup.
As for Alonso, he will take over a star-studded squad that already includes players such as Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, Jude Bellingham and Thibaut Courtois.
Alexander-Arnold looks set to join the squad, after announcing that he will leave Liverpool when his contract expires next month.
According to ESPN, Real Madrid are willing to pay Liverpool a “reasonable sum” to buy Alexander-Arnold out of the final weeks of his contract, so that he can participate in the Club World Cup, which starts on June 14 – before his deal expires.
He will compete with Dani Carvajal for the right-back spot, although the Spaniard is currently recovering from a cruciate ligament injury he suffered in October, turning 33 earlier this year.
Spanish newspaper Marca claims that Alonso has already made his first big decision as Real Madrid boss – and that could be good news for Alexander-Arnold.
According to reports, the incoming new manager wants to play with a 3-4-3 system, which he has been using at Bayer Leverkusen.
This system will allow Alexander-Arnold to play as a “very attacking full-back who contributes width”, while the left winger will have to do the same.
As a result, Carvajal, who is stronger defensively than his upcoming teammate, will have to adapt. Alonso’s tactical choice seems to be a direct message to Alexander-Arnold that any weaknesses defensively will be less important in this system.
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Alonso is also said to want to play with a “double pivot” in front of the three centre-backs, meaning the 26-year-old Englishman could take on a defensive midfield role – something he has played occasionally at Anfield – and thus allow both himself and Carvajal to play together at the Bernabéu.
