Alonso left Real on Monday (Picture: Getty)Xabi Alonso was desperate for Real Madrid to sign Arsenal midfielder Martin Zubimendi last summer. Alonso however was eager for the club to sign a midfielder in the mould of Toni Kroos, who retired from football in 2024 after a decade of excellence at the club. Get personalised updates on Arsenal everyday Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro’s Football Newsletter. Alonso told the Real board a signing of that profile would be fundamental to his success at the club, identifying Zubimendi as the best man for the job. While the new Real boss was desperate to sign the then-Real Sociedad star, Arsenal had long-standing interest having struck an agreement to bring him to the Emirates in January 2025.

Source: Metro January 13, 2026 08:35 UTC