Xabi Alonso smiles, unexpected signing for the defense that he is going to have this season

Two of Xabi Alonso's major concerns will not be satisfied during the remainder of the 2025 summer transfer window. Despite the insistence on bringing in a center-back and a creative midfielder, preferably with a defensive profile, the white club's sporting management believes that the current squad is well put together.

Given this, the Tolosa coach will have to implement his tactical plans with the 24 players who currently make up Santiago Bernabéu locker room... awaiting Franco Mastantuono, who will officially join the merengue squad when he turns 18 next week.

Apart from that minor setback, Xabi Alonso has closely followed the progress of a player who has raised many doubts quite reasonably in recent weeks. In fact, his situation has worsened as the seasons have gone by, going from being an undisputed starter to the last player in his current position on the field.

For this reason, the white coach wants to know if he can count, even sporadically, on his footballing services. The results of the first session at Real Madrid Sports City show good prospects, putting his name once again among the footballers ready to compete.

Change in his situation

Doubts about David Alaba's continuity in the white first team are, even with two weeks to go before the start of LaLiga 25/26, a striking constant. However, the Madrid coaching staff, given that he has trained in the most normal conditions possible, see that small progress with hope.

Alberto Pereiro has pointed out that the Austrian "4" has completed the first training sessionswithout his striking knee bandage. This observation by the Onda Cero journalist is excellent news for the competitive ambitions of both Xabi Alonso and David Alaba himself.

Indeed, the European defender has made it clear in the Valdebebas offices that he wants to see out his current contract: it ends in the summer of 2026. For this reason, he would have decided to make every effort to perform in every training session and compete for some playing time throughout the season. Xabi Alonso is not unaware of this situation.

For this reason, David Alaba could well be the signing that has been so strongly requested from the top brass led by Florentino Pérez. While he is not an undisputed starting center-back with immediate impact, as the merengue coach himself wanted, he is an option to facilitate the rotation of those players who are.