Real Madrid fans are expecting major changes at the club ahead of the 2024/25 La Liga season.
With Carlo Ancelotti expected to depart from the Spanish capital at the end of the current campaign, Los Blancos will have a new leader in place over the summer, with Xabi Alonso on standby to take charge.
Alonso will be given a transfer budget to work at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, with the former Spanish international reportedly already raising targets with the club, including Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold.
Real Madrid have been working on a deal to bring the England international to the club since the start of 2025 with his current contract at Anfield expiring in June.
Despite optimism over getting a deal secured, the 26-year-old has not provided a clear update on his intentions, with Liverpool and Real Madrid both putting forward five-year deals with sizeable salary packages.
Alexander-Arnold remains the priority for Real Madrid, but other options are being considered, with reports from Fichajes.net indicating Real Sociedad right-back Jon Aramburu is on their radar.
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Jon Aramburu’s Real Sociedad contract, release clause, stats
Aramburu has impressed in the Basque Country, following his switch from lower league side Real Union in 2023, with the Venezuela international now established as first-choice under Imanol Alguacil.
However, with Alguacil moving on in June, and La Real expected to miss out on European qualification – the club could be forced to sell a host of players.
Martin Zubimendi has been tipped for a move to either Real Madrid or Arsenal and Aramburu could following him out of the Estadio Anoeta.
The two main stumbling blocks to a possible deal lie in Aramburu’s current contract in San Sebastian, where he is tied until 2023, with a reported release clause of £51m [$67m].
Los Blancos will not pay that much for a developing player, but La Real could lower that price, particularly if Real Madrid offer a player-plus-cash deal for the 22-year-old.
Aramburu offers a stronger defensive option than Alexander-Arnold – with the latter regularly criticised for his defensive output – and Alonso could potentially deploy him in a defensive midfield hybrid role.
As per the latest data from Fbref.com, Aramburu is the second-highest tackler in La Liga this season with 91 made and 65 completed.
He is also top in La Liga for dribblers tackled in 2024/25 with 60 which also places him at No.1 in that list across Europe’s top five domestic leagues.
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