The new era at Real Madrid is officially underway. With Xabi Alonso now in charge and the season wrapped up, Los Blancos are already moving quickly in the transfer market — aiming to secure signings both before and after the Club World Cup. Center-back Dean Huijsen is already in the door, left-back Álvaro Carreras is on his way, and Trent Alexander-Arnold is expected to be officially announced any day now.
Midfield reinforcement is next on the list
With Toni Kroos’ departure, Real Madrid is eager to bring in a midfielder who can fill that void. Dani Ceballos temporarily filled the role earlier this season, but an injury against Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey kept him sidelined for over two months — and he hasn’t looked the same since.
Meanwhile, Tchouaméni and Valverde were forced into unfamiliar roles due to the club’s injury crisis. Camavinga struggled with consistency and fitness, suffering a noticeable drop in form that mirrored the team’s collective dip.
Luka Modrić, now 39, saw limited minutes and did what he could. On a brighter note, Arda Güler impressed late in the season, showing against teams like Getafe and Celta that he may have a future in Madrid’s midfield.
Who are the top midfield targets?
Given this context, it’s no surprise Real Madrid are looking to reinforce the midfield — a need Xabi Alonso subtly addressed during his presentation:
“Did I ask for a midfielder? Our duty is always to look to improve. Since becoming Madrid’s coach, I want to work with the club to build a shared vision of what needs to be improved. The squad is strong, and I’m excited to start working with them.”
Names that have circulated recently include Martín Zubimendi, Florian Wirtz, Nico Paz, Exequiel Palacios, Tijjani Reijnders, and Angelo Stiller.
Stiller’s “Hala Madrid” moment goes viral
One moment may have pushed Angelo Stiller even closer to Real Madrid. After Stuttgart won the DFB-Pokal and secured a spot in next season’s Europa League, fans asked some of the players if they’d still be with the team next year.
Deniz Undav joked:
“Me and Karazor, yes. Stiller… I don’t know. Hala Madrid!”
That “Hala Madrid” quickly went viral — and fans saw it as a playful (but telling) hint about a potential move to the Spanish giants.
“Are you all three staying next season?”
Deniz Undav: “Me and Karazor, yes. Stiller, I don’t know. Hala Madrid!”
👀👀👀 pic.twitter.com/rkKfnqDFTQ
— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) May 26, 2025
Who is Angelo Stiller?
The 24-year-old German midfielder has become a key figure for both VfB Stuttgart and the German national team. Stylistically, he’s often compared to Toni Kroos — with excellent vision, composure on the ball, and the ability to dictate the tempo of a match.
But Stiller also brings defensive effort — something Real Madrid has lacked in midfield at times.
This season with Stuttgart, he’s recorded:
- 1 goal
- 8 assists
- 59 chances created
- 51 key passes
- 140 ball recoveries
With those numbers — and now a public “Hala Madrid” — it’s no wonder he’s firmly on Xabi Alonso’s radar as a midfield solution for the next great Madrid project.