The transfer of Xabi Alonso to Bayern Munich from Real Madrid caught everybody by surprise – the experienced central midfielder had only signed a two-year extension in January earlier this year which would have seen him at the Santiago Bernabeu until 2016, just as he aimed to. However, after deliberation with Bayern boss Pep Guardiola, Alonso had his mind swiftly changed and was granted permission by Madrid to sign a two-year deal with the Bavarians. WATCH: Xabi Alonso completes shock move to Bayern Munich The capture of the 32-year-old was not a priority for Bayern at the beginning of the summer, who boasted an abundance of talent in the midfield department. A series of events would quickly change that outlook. Failure to tie down Toni Kroos to an improved contract saw the German international head to Real Madrid - yet that was not what triggered Bayern’s pursuit of Alonso. Just two weeks ago, Thiago Alcantara suffered a relapse of the knee injury he had sustained in March while Javi Martinez suffered a cruciate ligament injury in the recent German Super Cup match against Borussia Dortmund. For Madrid, Alonso went on to become more important for the club with each passing season. Since signing from Liverpool in 2009, he became a leading figure in the Real Madrid lineup, composedly going about his business from deep in the middle of the park, providing the perfect platform for the attacking players to flourish. While his early years in Madrid were frustrating from a collective perspective, as arch-rivals FC Barcelona reigned supreme both home and abroad, Alonso’s passion and desire grew larger, which eventually helped Madrid to overcome that dominance – first with the Copa del Rey win over Barça in 2011, followed by La Liga in 2012 and culminating in the ultimate triumph last campaign – La Decima. Despite being devastated at missing out through suspension, Alonso’s touchline sprint following Gareth Bale’s header which put Madrid 2-1 up in the Champions League final summed up what the club had grown to mean for the Spaniard. With the 32-year-old being a core part of the squad, both for the assurance he offered on the field as well as the influence off of it, how much of a dent will this be for Los Blancos? With little time or intention to find a replacement, many fear this could be a game-changing error by the European champions. Many aspects of his game will be missed; from his excellent range of passing to his often-unnoticed work-rate. However, if there was ever a time when Real Madrid could afford to let him go, it would be now. In Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, Real Madrid has a midfield that even Barça should be enviable of. Both are classy midfield men in possession and are also doggedly determined off the ball, and have the tactical nous to rotate roles at various moments in the game – a partnership which will only develop as the years go on. The summer signing of Kroos was certainly seen as a long-term replacement for Alonso and the German possesses all the attributes in order to do so, albeit sooner than expected. Modric rode a difficult first season but became Madrid’s midfield engine last season and was, for many, the club’s unsung hero in its Champions League success. The sale of Alonso will also hand more first team opportunities to Asier Illarramendi, who has so far had little time to show his ability in a Madrid shirt since signing from Real Sociedad last summer. The 24-year-old has undoubted talent and the departure of the long-standing figure in his position could also see him playing with less pressure. Illarramendi cost a hefty $42million just 12 months ago and, from a business perspective, Madrid knows that it will not make anywhere near that sum if it were to part ways with the Spaniard in the near future and therefore has to make use of him. Another Madrid midfielder who looked set for the exit door this summer was Sami Khedira, with Bayern among the clubs said to have been keen. But Carlo Ancelotti refuted any speculation about his possible exit, offering further options to the midfield. Even though he is not the key first-team figure he was in years gone by, Khedira still offers dependable consistency when needed. The fact that neither president Florentino Perez or manager Ancelotti put up a fight to keep Alonso suggests that they both feel more than confident of coping without him. A new contract was only signed in January but that was before the idea to get Kroos came into play. The German World Cup winner is on a lucrative deal so the chance to part ways with an ageing player very much in his mould, who too was on a bulky salary, as well as incorporating an estimated $10.5million transfer fee, is likely to be seen as a favorable deal for the club in Mr. Perez’s eyes.
Posted on: Tue, 02 Sep 2014 02:28:42 +0000
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