If anyone is thinking about the starting eleven that Xabi Alonso will field when the competition returns on Tuesday, August 19, at the Santiago Bernabéu against Osasuna, one of the names that would be a sure bet for the starting eleven is that of center back Dean Huijsen. The young center back has impressed during the Club World Cup and is already a pillar of the team.
Now the problem comes with finding the perfect partner for him in the center of defense. The preseason will decide, but the coach already has a favorite: Eder Militao.
Dean Huijsen and someone else
At Real Madrid, there seems to be no doubt that Dean Huijsen has arrived to be a starter. During the World Cup, apart from the avoidable penalty against Borussia Dortmund, he was solid in defense, good in the air and, above all, with good control of the ball when bringing it out and driving it forward to create play, which makes him indispensable in Xabi Alonso’s game plan for Real Madrid.
During the tournament, Xabi Alonso made clear the importance of the player. “He is another of the pillars and he has shown the personality with which he gets things done. With the national team and with us. In matches and on a daily basis. He is a great signing. We have to support him, push him, because he has room for improvement. He mustn’t relax. But I’m happy to have Dean with us.”
The question is who will accompany him in defense. No decision seems to have been made until Xabi Alonso sees what happens in the short preseason. On the one hand, there are doubts about Asencio, who had earned his stripes but lost his starting spot after a disastrous World Cup. Rüdiger already played a leading role in the United States but is still not at his best. It remains to be seen what kind of shape Alaba will be in when the season starts. In principle, everything points to Eder Militao being the starting center back alongside Huijsen, but he is coming off many months on the sidelines after a complicated injury and it remains to be seen how he will hold up under the pace of competition.
Militao, the favorite
According to information from AS journalist Rubén Martín, Xabi Alonso has full confidence in the Brazilian center back. He returned to the pitch after more than nine months out in the last game of the Club World Cup against PSG, where he came on in the second half and showed flashes of his quality, earning praise from Alonso. A Militao at full strength would mean Real Madrid having one of the most proven center backs in the world. The coach has not yet been able to try out the Brazilian alongside Huijsen, but they look set to be a formidable duo that will make it very difficult for opponents to get past them.
Option to go to the market
In recent weeks, there has been speculation about the option of going to the market, but it will not be easy. On the one hand, the club needs to offload players and already has five center backs. On the other hand, there is the financial issue. The main candidate to strengthen the defense is Ibrahima Konaté, who would arrive for free next summer and for whom Liverpool are now demanding $50 million, with the white team unwilling to go above $25 million. On the other hand, there is the even more complicated option of Saliba. The Arsenal player is not for sale and even an offer above $100 million might not convince the London club.