Real Madrid 2025-26 is taking shape calmly, without major fanfare, but with surgical decisions. Xabi Alonso's arrival has brought a different way of looking at the market: fewer top-level names and more functional, tactical, hard-working profiles.
The Basque coach doesn't want to sign players just for the sake of it. He has told the board that, with the exception of the left back, he has reasons to be satisfied.
Álvaro Carreras remains on the radar as a possible addition to strengthen that flank. However, Fran García's performance at the Club World Cup has been so high that his arrival is no longer seen as urgent. The focus, right now, is on another key position.
The main priority: finding the new Kroos
If there's a wound that still hasn't healed after Toni Kroos's departure, it's the one in midfield. The German was the team's metronome for a decade, the player who set the tempo and calmed the pace of the game.
Xabi Alonso knows this better than anyone, because he performed that same role at Real Madrid before Kroos arrived.
Since he signed for Madrid, Xabi Alonso has insisted on finding a midfielder with tactical intelligence, refined technique, and the ability to lead quietly. Someone who doesn't seek the spotlight, but understands the game.
An organizer, a Swiss watch. He has found a profile that fits him perfectly. He named Rodri, the Ballon d'Or winner, as the ideal signing.
But Rodri would require an investment that Real Madrid isn't willing to make at this time.
Nico González is highly regarded... for many reasons
Nico González, current Manchester City player and FC Barcelona youth product, has become a serious option to strengthen that position. The son of the legendary Fran — captain of EuroDepor — grew up in an academy where associative play is prioritized.
He has vision, composure, and a tactical understanding that — with all due respect to the differences — recalls that of his father... and of Xabi himself.
Moreover, his contract situation and the fact that he's not in Pep Guardiola's plans (who paid €60 million (60 millones) in January to replace Rodri), lower his price.
He's not a priority for the English club, which just signed Reijnders for his position, and in Chamartín they see him as a market opportunity with added intrigue.
The intrigue of stealing another talent from Barça
The fact that a Barça youth product ends up wearing white always adds something extra. Among the Barça fans, the way Nico's departure was handled didn't go over well. Now, if he ends up at Real Madrid, old wounds could be reopened.
Meanwhile, at Madrid, they like these symbolic blows. If he also fits the profile Xabi Alonso is looking for, the deal gains momentum.
He's not a top-level signing, but he could be decisive for the team's balance. That, as of today, is what Xabi values most.