Fran García proves Xabi Alonso right: this is why he wanted to sign him for Leverkusen

The Club World Cup is highlighting several players who had gone quite unnoticed under the tactical leadership of CarloAncelotti. One of the standout names in this regard is Gonzalo García, Real Madrid Castilla forward who has shown he has enough ability to play with the first team.

Arda Güler is in a similar situation. With hardly any prominence under Carlo Ancelotti, Xabi Alonso's arrival gave him trust and a new position, in midfield, which he is taking advantage of. The Turkish midfielder and the Spanish striker are joined in this regard by Fran García.

The Castilian-Manchegan '20' delivered an exceptional quarterfinal match. While it is true that his performance in previous matches had left good records, his display against Borussia Dortmund has surpassed any previously set standard. Not only because of the offensive projection he showed in the second Madrid goal, which he scored.

Fran García was singled out as the best player of the quarterfinals, an individual recognition that justifies Xabi Alonso's trust in the young Spanish defender, trained at La Fábrica. It is no coincidence that the Tolosa coach had already tried to secure his services a year and a half ago, when he was still Bayer Leverkusen's coach.

He was part of his plans from the beginning

The information published by "OKDiario" reveals that Fran García caught Xabi Alonso's attention for his performances at Rayo Vallecano. Real Madrid was also keeping an eye on that performance, but the werkself club seemed closer to signing him at that time. "The Germans were willing to pay the €10 million ($10 million) of his release clause", recalls the newspaper directed by Eduardo Inda.

That move set off alarms in the Valdebebas offices. The German bosses  "needed Real Madrid's approval, as it kept a buy-back option for half the price". The white club moved faster and executed that buy-back clause.

The separation between Fran García and Xabi Alonso lasted barely a year and a half. The Basque coach was always alert to the development of Madrid's '20' in the Spanish capital, approaching on several occasions to try to take him out of Santiago Bernabéu locker room. The few minutes he had accumulated in the 23/24 campaign, his return season to Real Madrid, were an excellent argument for that previously planned team change.

In any case, "Fran can be calm: he has the full trust of both the coaching staff and the club". The signing of Álvaro Carreras will not be an obstacle for the Bolaños de Calatrava native to keep his place and the esteem that Xabi Alonso has for one of his favorites.