Real Madrid News
Xabi Alonso leveraging Liverpool ties to tempt 26-year-old to Real Madrid – report
According to Real Madrid Confidencial, incoming Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso is looking to use his Liverpool ties to try and engineer a bold summer move for Alexis Mac Allister.
The Argentine midfielder, who only joined Liverpool in 2023, has now emerged as one of Alonso’s top targets to strengthen the heart of Madrid’s midfield.
Mac Allister’s name has already been mentioned several times this season in connection with a move to the Bernabeu. Now, with Alonso set to take charge from June, those links have gained momentum.
The 26-year-old World Cup winner is seen as a technically gifted and tactically intelligent player, characteristics Alonso highly values. His ability to dictate the pace of a game, carry the ball forward, and deliver in big moments has not gone unnoticed in Madrid.
Not a straightforward deal
However, signing him will not be straightforward. The midfielder is under contract with Liverpool until 2028, and the English club is known to drive a hard bargain.
Even if Liverpool are open to discussing a deal, the price tag would likely be steep, and Real Madrid are aware that lowering that figure will be a tough task.
That said, Mac Allister’s name does figure prominently on the club’s internal shortlist. Real Madrid’s transfer strategy takes into account several factors—age, market value, contract duration, and tactical fit.
Meanwhile, there is another layer to this story. The futures of Luka Modric and Dani Ceballos will have a direct impact on any midfield signing.
Modric is expected to renew his contract, which could mean reduced minutes but continued presence in the dressing room. On the other hand, Ceballos, whose deal runs until 2027, could seek an exit if Alonso does not offer him a meaningful role next season.
At this point, Real Madrid are keeping a close eye on developments. If Mac Allister signals a willingness to leave and Liverpool are open to negotiation, Alonso’s influence might just tip the scales.
While no concrete move is imminent, this is a situation worth monitoring as the summer window unfolds.
Real Madrid News
Real Madrid weighing up January move for €70 million-rated Arsenal midfielder – report
Real Madrid’s midfield is the one department where Jose Mourinho sees clear scope for improvement, especially given that the club did not sanction his wish for a top midfield signing in the summer.
While Bernardo Silva has chipped in as a handy option to feature in the deep midfield, the club still lacks a controlling and creative option who can glue the team together.
In that sense, there is a clear lacuna that Real Madrid need to address and Defensa Central brings to light that the club have opened up to a potential target.
Zubimendi emerges as a target
Indeed, the player in question is Arsenal’s Martin Zubimendi who the club have seen as a target for a long time, and Real Madrid could even go on to sign him in January.
The Spanish international has not started off the new season well under Mikel Arteta and has primarily featured as a substitute. He does, thus, see a move to Madrid with good eyes in every sense.
Real Madrid, for their part, have not ruled out his signing as was reported in recent months and there is even a chance they seriously pursue him in the winter transfer window as a mid-season fix.
The possible fee
The Spanish outlet also add that Zubimendi’s move to Real Madrid could be completed for a fee similar to what Arsenal paid for the player for his transfer from Real Sociedad – €70 million.
Mourinho’s insistence on making a new midfield signing is no secret, and with a clear target now in mind, the board could well back him with the player he wishes.
Notably, however, even Chelsea are seriously interested in his signing.
So far, Federico Valverde has been Real Madrid’s mainstay in midfield, and Aurelien Tchouameni’s return will change the team’s dynamics in the department.
Neither player, however, offers the control and distribution skill set that the team direly lack.
A big part of whether or not the club pushes for Zubimendi, however, will depend on how the Valverde-Tchouameni combination plays out in the coming months. It is, after all, the manager’s first-choice combination for big games.
