TA: Alonso has received more support after spending about 180 million euros and may further sign up.

In the 2024-25 season, Real Madrid failed to win any important trophy, head coach Ancelotti finally left the team, and the La Liga giants chose to let Alonso take over the Italian coach. This summer, Real Madrid spent about 180 million euros to sign players such as Wyson, Arnold, Mastantono and Alvaro Carreras. Theathletic revealed the reconstruction story of Real Madrid.

Alonso tried to revitalize the team that seemed lifeless in the end of Ancelotti's coaching efforts, and this effort actually began in the Club World Cup. Although the event has brought some signs of optimism for Real Madrid fans, it also reveals some painful reality. According to sources close to the club, Real Madrid's summer reconstruction story unfolds.

Long time before Ancelotti left to coach the Brazilian national team, Real Madrid had already begun planning for the 2025-26 season lineup. Some long-standing problems emerged last season, especially when they were eliminated by Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-finals (1-5 total score) and multiple losses to Barcelona in the domestic arena (conceded 16 goals in four games, including the Copa del Rey final). Alonso, 43, has played for Ancelotti, and he understands the former coach's views on the team's strengths and weaknesses. Before officially taking over the team, he also consulted friends who worked at the club, including his former teammates Aveloa (now coach of Real Madrid B) and Luis Lopis (who continues to be the first team goalkeeper coach).

Since the age of the players, Alonso has been very familiar with how Real Madrid operates under Florentino. Florentino, 78, remains the final decision-maker, and all major transfers require him to sign and approve. Other key figures include chief scout Huni Carafate, who is responsible for identifying targets (especially young players), preparing detailed reports, and establishing connections with agents and players' families. Jose Angel Sanchez, who is longtime general manager, is the bridge between the club's middle and lower levels and Florentino, responsible for all negotiations.

Ancelotti's limited involvement in the transfer program in recent years has frustrated him. Sources said Alonso played a bigger role in determining the signing targets and convincing them to join. Others believe that from Florentino to the entire club management finally agreed with some of Ancelotti’s views and accepted the need for significant investment, especially in defense.

The idea of signing Arnold from Liverpool had existed long before Ancelotti left, and the club believed that the availability of the England international was a "market opportunity" and their decision to pay 10 million euros for the right-back to participate in the Club World Cup was also in line with the idea that senior officials hoped to bid farewell to last season through the event (Alonso's appointment before the event was also motivated).

Alonso played a bigger role in introducing former Bournemouth central defender Wyson and former Benfica left-back Carreras. Both players are in line with Alonso's plan to change Ancelotti's deep defense to a more aggressive high-pressure tactic. Initially, he had some reservations about paying Wyson's 50 million termination fee, but this concern was overcome considering that there was only another healthy central defender before the Club World Cup and 22-year-old Asensio, who was just a substitute before. The sports director and head coach also agreed to sign Carreras, who was a member of Real Madrid's youth training camp in 2017-20. However, the transaction was completed late, so he failed to catch up with the Club World Cup.

The decision on the players who have expired the contract will ultimately be made by the club's senior management. Vallejo has always been destined to leave, and in the end, Alonso's former teammates Modric and Vosques did not receive a new contract.

Club World Cup has brought huge challenges to Alonso. Not only did he have to be familiar with the new team, but he also had to form a whole new line of defense, while introducing compact team organization, quick pressing and previewing offensive modes, which were very successful when he coached Leverkusen before. During training in Miami, Alonso personally guided the players' training, and spending a whole month together also helps to establish new personal relationships with the players.

The new approach is reflected in fitness coach Ishamel Carmen Forte Lopez combined physical training with specific competition situations, which is different from the more traditional high-intensity running method of his ex-Pintus. Another innovation is recording videos using drones in each training session, and a short but detailed video is produced by analysts for Alonso to show the players what he expects.

As the game progressed, individual and collective performance improved, at least until the semi-finals of the Club World Cup. Ancelotti's 4-3-3 formation remained unchanged most of the time, but he also tried the three-guard formation. Alonso's positive impact on the team was most evident in knockout wins against Juventus (1-0) and Dortmund (3-2). The new coach's tactical adjustments in the game left a deep impression on people, with key players Bellingham, Valverde, Joan Armeni and Arnold appearing in different positions at different moments.

Young players also gain more trust. Last season's substitute Guerre became a regular starter, while 21-year-old forward Gonzalo Garcia entered the starting lineup before Rodrigo and Dias. Both decisions paid off, with Guerre outstanding in his new midfield role, while Gonzalo scored four goals in six games in the United States. Although it was embarrassing that the 0-4 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals of the Club World Cup, it also taught Alonso and the club's top management useful lessons. Asensio and Rudiger's serious personal mistakes showed that more defenders were needed, and the 4-3-3 formation was punished by Mbappe and Vinicius' ineffective attack on the wing.

Real Madrid players took vacations after the Club World Cup, but the planning at the Bernabeu is still continuing, and Alonso also maintained close contact with the club during his vacation in his hometown..

Soon, Argentine international Mastantono, with huge potential, joined, and the club invested 63.2 million euros in this contract. Alonso played an important role in this signing process. He also decided to reintroduce Carreras to upgrade the left-back position and reached a 50 million euro deal with Benfica. Meanwhile, 21-year-old Castilla left-back Rafael Obrador went to Benfica to play.

Sources said Real Madrid's senior executives are still theoretically open to further signings, and also pointed out that many of Alonso's requirements have been met, with the team already having 24 first-team players (up to 25 are allowed).

However, one big problem is that no first team player is willing to leave. The Spanish newspaper Marca reflected this situation on the front page of August 1. None of the nine Real Madrid players were the core of Alonso's plan, but everyone wanted to stay, namely Lunin, Fran Garcia, Ferran Mendy, Alaba, Rudiger, Sebasso, Fran Garcia, Enderick and Rodrigo.

Rodrigo is obviously a player who can be sold at a high price, but finding a buyer is difficult. Ideally, Alonso hopes to use the money to bring in a top new midfield "organizer", a role played by Guerre in the Club World Cup. Manchester City midfielder Rodri's name was mentioned inside the club, but there was never a plan to introduce him this summer. It is also very useful to bring in another experienced centre-back, especially when a three-back formation is needed. But judging from the trip to the United States, especially the loss to Paris Saint-Germain, the biggest tactical question is how to accommodate Mbappe and Vinicius in Alonso's uncompromising high-energy and high-pressure play.

This is a very sensitive issue. Real Madrid and Vinicius' contract renewal negotiations are at a deadlock, and the Brazilian's decline in form after missing the 2024 Golden Globes, which has worried the club's top leaders. Meanwhile, Mbappe was allowed to inherit Modric's No. 10 jersey, and the club usually stipulates that long-term players will be given priority to their favorite numbers. The balanced demand is also reflected in the 19-year-old Brazilian striker Enderick won the No. 9 jersey, while young local rival Gonzalo Garcia signed a new contract and will be part of the first team in the 2025-26 season.

Behind the scenes, the activities of the Waldbebas Training Center are also continuing. To improve the club's injury situation, the medical department has undergone a reorganization. Pintus is no longer responsible for daily training, but rather serves as a "performance manager".

As last season was extended to the Club World Cup in July, Real Madrid only had 15 days of training before the start of the 2025-26 season. Real Madrid commentators angrily accused the La Liga of not giving the team longer rest, once again reminding people of the dissatisfaction and noise surrounding the club last season. The preparations were also complicated by travelling to Austria to have a friendly match against Tyrol last Tuesday. According to staff, the arrangement of this game was not the coaching staff's advice. Such a challenge is that as part of Real Madrid's head coach, things have never been simple. What’s different this summer is that Alonso has played a significant role in shaping the team and the system.

Alonso is now publicly viewed as the core leader of the new exciting program the club hopes to open, which brings welcome control to the head coach, who firmly believes that he can lead the team back to the ranks of the highest honors and has made substantial progress in that direction. However, for a head coach who is still very young, there will be personal risks if the new season starts worse than he wants.