Huge news at Real Madrid! Xabi Alonso celebrates it, he's already here, goodbye to David Alaba.

Real Madrid are facing a new stage filled with excitement and high expectations. With Xabi Alonso on the bench, the team is looking to take a competitive leap and bring joy back to their fans. Florentino Pérez's plan is clear: young signings, with quality and potential.

This summer, several exciting names have arrived, such as Huijsen or Carreras. These are players who strengthen the present, but above all, the future of Real Madrid. However, there's still a key piece missing to complete the project: a reliable center-back.

Xabi Alonso is clear: a center-back is missing

Xabi Alonso has insisted on bringing in Ibrahima Konaté. The Frenchman from Liverpool's contract ends in 2026 and he's highly regarded within the white club's environment. His profile fits perfectly with what the coach from San Sebastián is looking for: power, speed, and ball distribution.

Real Madrid's idea was to take advantage of that contract situation to close his signing this very summer. But Liverpool aren't willing to make his departure easy and won't accept a significant discount. Faced with this scenario, Florentino Pérez will choose to wait until next summer to try to sign him.

Meanwhile, Xabi Alonso will have to make do with what's available in the squad. That includes a David Alaba who still isn't showing signs of recovery. The Austrian, injured for months, isn't part of Real Madrid's plans.

The club has already suggested a possible departure to free up salary space and make room for new signings. However, David Alaba refuses to leave before his contract expires in 2026. His intention is to fulfill his contract until the end, even if he doesn't have a leading role.

Neither Ibrahima Konaté nor David Alaba, there's a new center-back

But not everything is bad news for Xabi Alonso. Although Ibrahima Konaté won't arrive and David Alaba won't be available soon, the coach already has an unexpected reinforcement: Joan Martínez. The gem from La Fábrica is available again after a long ordeal with injuries.

Joan Martínez is one of the most promising center-backs from Madrid's youth academy. Ancelotti already gave him his debut in a friendly match last year, where he left a very good impression. His progress was only halted by a serious knee injury.

After almost a year away from the field, Joan has come back strong. He's doing preseason with the reserve team and has already played minutes against Marbella. He played only 20 minutes, but that was enough to convince Xabi Alonso.

The coach was very pleased with his attitude, pace, and defensive security. He's not a starter yet, but he knows he can count on him if injuries or rotations require it. Joan Martínez is ready to return to action and David Alaba, for now, will keep watching the matches from the stands.