While Real Madrid is focused on reaching the Club World Cup final, behind the scenes planning for next season has already begun.
Although Xabi Alonso has emphasized in press conferences that his focus is only on current competitions, the Basque coach has privately begun shaping the team he wants for the 2025-2026 season.
One of the names that most convinces Alonso is Exequiel Palacios, the Argentine midfielder who currently plays for Bayer Leverkusen.
Alonso knows the 25-year-old well from his time in Germany and considers him an element who can bring balance, tactical discipline, hard work and technical quality to Los Blancos' midfield.
According to reports from "DefensaCentral", this interest has reached the club's offices, where Florentino Pérez and sporting director José Ángel Sánchez are willing to negotiate the transfer, but only if the price does not exceed the 20 million euro mark - a figure that has been set as the financial ceiling for this operation.
However, everything will depend on the stance of Bayer Leverkusen, a club known for its consistency and determination in transfer market matters.
On the technical side, Juni Calafat, one of the most important people in the success of Real Madrid's transfer policy, has closely followed Palacio's progress and supports his transfer.
The player himself, who is a regular part of the Argentine national team, would see a move to the Santiago Bernabéu with great positivity, and is ready to take the big step in his career, if given the opportunity.
If the transfer goes through, it would be the first reinforcement requested directly by Xabi Alonso, a clear signal that Real Madrid's new project is taking shape with players who fit the new coach's philosophy. The next move is expected to mark the beginning of a new era at Chamartín./Express newspaper/
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