Real Madrid News
Xabi Alonso wants Real Madrid to sign a ‘Joselu type’ striker – report
New Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso is leaving no stone unturned to ensure he has a competitive squad from day 1 and is addressing all the areas Carlo Ancelotti’s team lacked over the past ten months.
The defence has already received two major upgrades in Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen and is even set to welcome a new left-back in Alvaro Carreras soon.
Meanwhile, the manager is also pushing for new midfielders who suit his style of play with the club looking for a big name as well as players for rotation.
Now, journalist Rodra (via Inaki Angulo YouTube) brings to light that Real Madrid have been handed a new mission by Alonso – to strengthen the forward line.
A new striker
As relayed by the Spanish journalist, the new Real Madrid manager wants a ‘Joselu type’ signing in attack who can cover the No. 9 role next season. He sees it very clear that such a profile is direly needed at the club.
With Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr. poised to take up regular places in Alonso’s team, there will likely not be a place for a new player to come in as a regular starter.
That’s where the ‘Joselu’ tag comes in, for the Spaniard played a pioneering role in Real Madrid during his term at the club despite not being a regular starter.
Joselu arrived at the club on a very minor fee, earned relatively low wages and was happy to contribute whenever called on as a rotational player or an impact substitute. His ability to churn up goals and act like the target man Real Madrid did not have.
Finding such a player in today’s market is indeed complicated, especially if Real Madrid are looking to achieve the objective on a budget fee.
There is, however, no denying that a lethal striker could revolutionise the team, especially with two attacking full-backs set to take over on both flanks next season.
After a month into the new season, Aurelien Tchouameni is finally back in action for Real Madrid.
The Frenchman made his first appearance of the season for the Merengues last night against Inter Milan after recovering from the muscular injury that delayed his campaign.
His return to fitness had raised questions over where he would fit into Mourinho’s plans.
Tchouameni has been a regular in Real Madrid’s midfield for several seasons under different managers, but the end of last season was far less straightforward.
His confrontation with Federico Valverde, combined with speculation over his future at the club, created uncertainty about his position. His lack of a proper pre-season also appeared to put him behind other midfield options.
Bernardo Silva had established himself as an important figure, while Eduardo Camavinga was also ahead of Tchouameni in terms of match fitness.
With Real Madrid looking for greater creativity in midfield, there were questions over whether the Frenchman would still be a first-choice player.
Key for Mourinho
According to AS (h/t Bernabeu Digital), however, Mourinho has no such doubts. Tchouameni remains a key player for the Portuguese coach and is expected to be a starter.
Mourinho sees the French international as a midfielder without a direct replacement in the squad.
For Jose, Tchouameni provides something that none of the other midfielders in the squad do – a more defensive and positional presence, combining his tactical discipline with considerable physical strength.
His ability to shield the defence and provide balance could be particularly important for a Real Madrid side that want to defend aggressively and attack quickly in transition.
For that reason, his absence at the start of the campaign has not changed the manager’s view of his importance.
Mourinho faces a midfield selection problem
The challenge for Mourinho now is finding a way to fit all the pieces together.
If Tchouameni is guaranteed a starting position and Valverde is considered untouchable as captain, the obvious consequence is that Bernardo could find himself starting from the bench.
The summer arrival had been given an important role in helping Real Madrid control and distribute possession from deeper positions.
However, with Tchouameni and Valverde both occupying midfield places, Mourinho cannot accommodate everyone in the same lineup.
How the Portuguese coach manages that competition will be interesting to see in the coming weeks.
