Real Madrid to sell Antonio Rudiger, star goalkeeper if Xabi Alonso replaces Carlo Ancelotti as manager: Report

Real Madrid fans love players who have soaked the famous white shirt with blood and sweat. Like Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos, Pepe and many others, Antonio Rudiger too is a warrior who has literally bled for the Los Blancos on the pitch. The former Chelsea defender is now the undoubted leader of the Real backline, giving his best even when not fully fit. The German has shown character throughout the season alongside young Marco Asencio after Carlo Ancelotti's side lost the likes of Eder Militao, David Alaba and Dani Carvajal to injuries. 

 

However, Rudiger's time at the Santiago Bernabeu could come to an end if Xabi Alonso decides to become the new manager of the La Liga giants, reports suggest. 

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Spaniard Alonso, who is currently in charge of Bayer Leverkusen in Rudiger's fatherland, has handed over a list of stars who prefer to be sold this summer to raise funds. To the surprise of many, Alonso thinks Rudiger is not suitable for his style of play and it is better to sell the 32-year-old for the right price as a part of fundraising.

 

Luka Modric, Rodrygo, Lucas Vazquez, Ferland Mendy and Andriy Lunin are the other popular players who are likely to bid farewell to Real Madrid if Xabi Alonso lands the job, Spanish website donbalon.com claimed. 

 

Ukrainian Lunin, who has stepped up whenever Thibaut Courtois was unavailable, is also highly rated by Madridistas despite his limited time on the pitch. Several pundits had said that it was high time for Lunin to come out of the Belgian's shadow even if it meant leaving Madrid. If the report is to be trusted, Lunin could be exiting Madrid soon, hopefully, to become a first-choice shot-stopper elsewhere.

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An earlier report had claimed that Alonso was planning to bring Jonathan Tah and Florian Wirtz with him from Leverkusen. The two German internationals are familiar with the 43-year-old's style and played pivotal roles in the club's historical league win last season. 

 

Tah, 29, has already confirmed that he will not extend his stay at BayArena when his current contract runs out in June. He is heavily linked to a move to Bayern Munich but Alonso is expected to convince him to join him in Madrid instead. Tah admires Rudiger and Madridistas were hoping to see the German teammates combining at the heart of their defence in the coming season. By the looks of it, Tah is more likely to be Rudiger's replacement at Real Madrid than being his partner. 

 

 

Going by these reports, Madridistas should prepare for major farewells if their former midfielder becomes the next manager of the La Liga giants. Veteran midfielder Luka Modric and star winger Rodrygo Goes are reportedly among the players who are not included in Xabi Alonso's plans.  Lucas Vazquez, Ferland Mendy, Antonio Rudiger and Andriy Lunin were all named as players that Alonso wants to be sold this summer by Spanish website donbalon.com.

 

Brazilian Rodrygo has done wonders for Real Madrid over the years on both wings and can play as a centre forward as well. He combines well with his international teammate Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe's arrival from PSG has not affected the 24-year-old's form much. However, Alonso is rumoured to bring Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz with him to the Spanish capital which would cost a huge sum. The sale of Rodrygo is expected to help the defending European champions raise the sum needed to make the purchase happen, the report said. With the likes of Mbappe, Vinicius, Endrick, Arda Guler and Brahim Diaz, Rodrygo will not be missed, Alonso believes. The arrival of Wirtz could further bolster his attacking options, making Rodrygo an expendable option.

 

If Rodrygo is sold, Real Madrid could raise a huge sum as several European giants including PSG and Manchester City are reportedly interested in his service. Saudi's cash-rich clubs would also queue up with blank cheques if a 'for sale' board is put on the Osasco-born star. 

 

Despite his club legend status, Luka Modric at 39 can't play Alonso's high-intensity game. The Croatian who arrived at the Spanish capital in 2012 is likely to get a contract extension when his current one runs out in June if his former teammate is to become the new Real Madrid manager. Earlier, another report had said the former Bayern Munich star wants to sign Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi when he takes over Real Madrid. Fans will need to wait and watch how things pan out.  

 

 

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