Confirmed, Xabi Alonso Pays €25M to Say Goodbye to Barça: Koundé Is Left Alone

If there is any Spanish coach who has made history in German soccer, it is undoubtedly Xabi Alonso. The Leverkusen coach took the team out of relegation in his first season and won the Bundesliga in the second. A journey of nine months and 34 matches in which he achieved 28 victories, 6 draws, and no defeats: simply a season to remember.

Additionally, Leverkusen was very close to securing the double, falling defeated in the Europa League final against Atalanta. Despite this, the level shown by the German team was spectacular, and Leverkusen's followers will remember last season for a long time. However, in the current campaign, Xabi Alonso's pupils' performance is not the same.

It is true that Leverkusen is in second position in the Bundesliga, six points behind Bayern Munich, but they are no longer alive in the Cup or in Europe. In the Champions League, Xabi Alonso's team has already been eliminated, while in the Cup they have fallen to a third division team. It seems evident that the Germans will need to turn things around this summer: significant changes are coming.

The First Doubt Is Resolved: Xabi Alonso Stays

For weeks, Xabi Alonso's name has been linked with Real Madrid. Carlo Ancelotti, heavily criticized, has a contract until 2026, but this could be his last year if he doesn't win anything. However, despite the interest from the white club, reports from Germany indicate that the Basque coach's future will be tied to Leverkusen for another year.

In such a scenario, Xabi Alonso is already planning the next season and knows he will need to make several signings. Some of Leverkusen's heavyweights will pack their bags, and he wants solutions. In fact, the most likely departure is that of Jeremie Frimpong, the skillful Dutch full-back who is very much liked by Liverpool and will force the Germans to go to the transfer market.

Xabi Alonso Takes a Signing from Barça

The departure of Jeremie Frimpong means that Leverkusen has to look for alternatives to reliably replace the Dutch defender. In this regard, Xabi Alonso has already made a decision: he wants to sign Andrei Ratiu, the right-back from Rayo.

Andrei Ratiu is Barça's priority target to strengthen the right-back position, but now he has appeared on Leverkusen's agenda. Therefore, if Xabi Alonso's team ends up paying his 25 million clause, the Catalans will have to look for another alternative.

Considering that Flick doesn't count on the young academy player Héctor Fort, Koundé would be left alone in the position. Andrei Ratiu, with his magnificent performances, has caught the attention of the best European clubs, and his departure from Rayo is almost certain this coming summer. We will see if he packs his bags to play at Leverkusen or Barça.