Sooner or later, it seems, Xabi Alonso will make his return to the Premier League, as Chelsea are now looking like the team closest to signing him for a number of reasons, making it possible he won’t even play his final contract year at Real Madrid.
The arrival of Jose Mourinho, naturally, means that quite a few players from Real Madrid will be considered transfer targets for the Europa League champions, or at least those who had Mourinho’s back during the turbulent season which tore the dressing room apart.
Xabi Alonso, despite showing some kind of decline last season, is still one of the best central midfielders in the world, at his best playing next to a defensive-minded partner, while he can concentrate on his deep play-making role, which he probably does better than anyone else in the world.
According to the Sunday Telegraph, Alonso might struggle to live side by side with certain players in the Real Madrid dressing room now that Mourinho is gone, with the knowledge of him being one of those who supported the manager during the darker moments of his rein, although that sounds like a very wild and exaggerated assumption.
In truth, Alonso, 31, has been considering returning to the Premier League for quite some time, thinking about Liverpool and Arsenal over the last couple of seasons. He has only one season left on his deal with Real Madrid, and at the moment is considering whether or not to extend his deal at the Bernabeu.
Mourinho would very much like to see the Spanish international (107 caps) play for him at Stamford Bridge, completing the puzzle in the middle of the pitch which is quite lacking at the moment.
Alonso arrived at Real from Liverpool for £30 million in 2009, and has scored 6 goals in 192 matches for the team, winning one league title and one Copa Del Rey. He has a Champions League trophy from his debut season at Liverpool, while his national team resume is probably the most impressive, scoring 15 goals and winning two European championships and one World Cup.