Xabi Alonso moving fast to deal major transfer blows to Arsenal and Man Utd

Xabi Alonso moving fast to deal major transfer blows to Arsenal and Man Utd

Xabi Alonso is poised to become Real Madrid's new head coach in the coming weeks and his transfer plans could spell major trouble for Arsenal and Manchester United

Xabi Alonso is set to take over at Real Madrid this summer (Image: Daniel Kopatsch/Getty Images )

Xabi Alonso is already plotting several big transfer moves ahead of his return to Real Madrid - and they threaten to throw a spanner in the plans of some of the Premier League's elite, including Arsenal and Manchester United.

Alonso, 43, all but confirmed the worst kept secret in football this week by announcing he will leave Bayer Leverkusen at the end of the season, with the former Los Blancos midfielder poised to return to the Bernabeu to replace Carlo Ancelotti, who is Brazil bound.

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The squad he will inherit will instantly be bolstered by the capture of Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is joining Real on a free transfer. But Alonso will not step there. As revealed by AS, he is intent on pursuing deals for Martin Zubimendi, Jonathan Tah and Florian Wirtz this summer, even if doing so will be anything but straightforward.

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Zubimendi is believed to have already agreed to sign for Arsenal, who are preparing to trigger the Real Sociedad star's £51million release clause once the Premier League season concludes.

However, he also greatly admires Alonso and there is hope in Madrid that a switch to The Emirates could yet be scuppered if the playmaker has a desire to reunite with his former coach at the Bernabeu.

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Like Alexander-Arnold, Tah will become a free agent at the end of next month. The Leverkusen defender knows Alonso well from his spell in charge of the former German champions, but Manchester United are also understood to be pursuing the 29-year-old.

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Manchester City could also be impacted by Alonso's grand plans: they are huge admirers of Wirtz, who has been outstanding under the Spaniard at Leverkusen.

They and Bayern Munich are poised to battle it out for his signature once the summer transfer window opens. But Alonso is keen on the idea of bringing the Germany international to Madrid with him, even if it remains to be seen whether or not Wirtz would be willing to make such a move. It's understood he prefers to join Bayern.

Martin Zubimendi is admired by Alonso but close to joining Arsenal (Image: Ion Alcoba Beitia/Getty Images )

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Alonso also wants to take Jonathan Tah with him to Madrid (Image: Jörg Schüler/Bayer 04 Leverkusen via Getty Images )

Join the debate! Do you think Alonso is a good choice for Real Madrid? Let us know here

Alonso confirmed his impending Leverkusen exit in a press conference before the weekend, saying: "This week the club and I have agreed that these two games will be my last two games as Bayer Leverkusen coach.

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"We have been talking during this week that is always about the moment and now is the right moment to announce it.

"We have always had a good and direct communication and now that we have clarity, it is the right moment to say that for sure. It is a moment with mixed emotions but it is the moment to announce it."

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