Alonso is in the midst of his first official week as Real Madrid manager, and he has already made significant decisions.
According to reports, Xabi Alonso has chosen his preferred starting XI as Real Madrid manager, with one big player left out.
Alonso held his first training session as Los Blancos manager on Monday, after being officially named on May 25 to succeed Carlo Ancelotti.
The Spaniard only had four completely fit players to work with at the club’s training field, so nine young team players were brought in to fill the gaps.
They were put through what Marca termed as a ‘global test’ to prepare them for possible inclusion in the Club global Cup squad.
Alonso is in the odd position of having to deal with a competitive summer tournament as his first assignment as a club manager, which has forced him to make some rapid judgments about some of his players.
This is how the starting XI will look this season.
New signings. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dean Huijsen are both listed, as is Benfica left-back Alvaro Carreras, who is on the verge of returning to his former academy club.
But the biggest surprise is that 17-year-old midfielder Franco Mastantuono is in Alonso’s preferred XI.
According to Fabrizio Romano, the Argentina youth international is close to joining Real from River Plate for €45 million.
He cannot legally join the club until he turns 18 on August 14, therefore he will most likely miss at least the first round of the La Liga season.
Thibaut Courtois, predictably, remains in goal, with either Eder Militao or Antonio Rudiger alongside former Bournemouth defender Huijsen at centre back.
Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde will form a two-man defensive midfield, with Mastantuono and Jude Bellingham positioned centrally farther forward.
Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior, meanwhile, will form a two-man attack.
This leaves no room for Brazil winger Rodrygo, who was a regular starter on the right side of the attack under former manager Ancelotti.
However, the 24-year-old, who scored 13 goals in all competitions this season, has been linked with a move away from the Bernabeu this summer, with Arsenal among the clubs reportedly interested in signing him.
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