Xabi Alonso pushing for Real Madrid to sign the ‘new Zubimendi’ – report | OneFootball

Real Madrid’s board dug deep into their pockets in the summer to help fulfil Xabi Alonso’s pre-project wishes as the new manager kicked start a new era at the club.

Franco Mastantuono, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen and Alvaro Carreras all arrived as part of the same effort.

Yet, there was one position that Alonso repeatedly insisted must be reinforced but ended up not materialising – the defensive midfield.

Martin Zubimendi was one of the many targets that the manager admired and pushed for Real Madrid to sign, but in the end, no new recruitment was made in the department.

A young alternative

As reported by Defensa Central in a recent update, Alonso admires Elche’s Rodrigo Mendoza as a quality player in the same niche and has been advocating his name to Florentino Perez for a while now.

“He is the new Zubimendi,” Alonso has allegedly told the club president, making it clear that he dreams of the signing for next summer.

Xabi Alonso wants Rodrigo Mendoza at Real Madrid. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

Mendoza has already been on Juni Calafat’s agenda for a significant while now. Still just 20 years of age, he has established himself as a key pillar not only for Elche but for the Spain U-20 setup as well.

Alonso has asked the board to wrap up Mendoza’s signing at the earliest, something that the administrators must quickly decide on given the rapidly increasing interest in the player from across Europe.

Manchester City and Arsenal are already seriously studying the option of signing the La Liga star, while Juventus, AC Milan and Inter Milan have also shown interest. His contract until 2028 and recent renewal, however, make it more complicated.

As it stands, the youngster’s market value stands at €9 million and has multiplied ninefold from the beginning of the season. His release clause, however, stands at €20 million, a sum that is certainly not out of Real Madrid’s range.

The manager and board’s eyes, needless to say, will be fixated on him when Real Madrid take on Elche this weekend and it wil prove to be an audition of sorts for the midfield star.