Alonso Eyes Pedri Move to Real Madrid as Guardiola Praises His Managerial Rise
Spanish media reports have revealed that Xabi Alonso, the incoming Real Madrid manager, is keen on signing Barcelona star Pedri as part of his plans to strengthen the squad. At the same time, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has praised Alonso’s remarkable performance with Bayer Leverkusen following the Spaniard’s announcement of his departure.
Alonso confirmed he will step down as Bayer Leverkusen’s head coach at the end of the season, after guiding the club to its first-ever Bundesliga title. He is widely expected to take over at Real Madrid, replacing Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti, who is set to leave the Santiago Bernabéu.
Despite having one of the strongest squads in world football, Real Madrid endured notable setbacks this season. The team was knocked out in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League and lost the Copa del Rey final to rivals Barcelona. Furthermore, they are at risk of surrendering the La Liga title to Barça, who currently lead the standings by four points with only four matches remaining.
According to Spanish outlet Defensa Central, Alonso is particularly impressed by Pedri’s qualities and believes the Barcelona midfielder would be a “perfect fit” for Real Madrid and a “valuable asset” to the team. However, as a former Los Blancos player himself, Alonso is fully aware of the intense rivalry between the two clubs and the near-impossibility of such a transfer.
While signing Pedri directly from Barcelona may be unrealistic, Alonso may instead seek a player with a similar profile—one who mirrors the technical intelligence and versatility of the 22-year-old Spanish international. Pedri has had an outstanding season with Barça, scoring six goals and providing seven assists in 55 appearances across all competitions. His teammate Marc Casadó even described him as “a world-class player.”
Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola, despite his strong ties to Barcelona as a former player and coach, could not help but applaud Alonso’s rapid ascent in coaching. Speaking to BBC Sport, Guardiola said: “Oh my God, his impact on Leverkusen was incredible. I think all of us who had the chance to work with him as a player always knew he would become a manager.”
“Going to Germany and competing with Bayern Munich is always extremely tough. Last season, they only lost their final match—against Atalanta in the Europa League final.”
“The way they played, the way he improved his players—I believe Leverkusen should be very proud of the partnership they had with him, even if it lasted just three years.”
