Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso is refusing to give up on convincing his bosses to bring Liverpool duo Ibrahima Konate and Florian Wirtz to Estadio Bernabeu, as Los Blancos are torn over a potential deal for Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes.<\/p>\n
As the January transfer window approaches, the Spanish media is drumming up rumours of Real Madrid<\/a> raids on Liverpool and Manchester United.<\/p>\n Xabi Alonso, a former Liverpool midfielder, has earned something of a reprieve after winning his last three matches as Madrid manager and is now apparently trying to convince Los Blancos president Florentino Perez to bring in three players in 2026, including two from Anfield.<\/p>\n Xabi Alonso wants Liverpool duo Ibrahima Konate and Florian Wirtz<\/p>\n According to Defensa Central<\/a>, Alonso wants Madrid to sign Ibrahima Konate and Florian Wirtz from Liverpool and Angelo Stiller from VfB Stuttgart in the January transfer window.<\/p>\n While the former Madrid midfielder knows that the three deals will be \u2018impossible\u2019 and is aware that \u2018no one is coming\u2019, Alonso has Konate, Wirtz and Stiller on his \u2018shopping list\u2019, according to the Real Madrid-centric news outlet, which is often speculative.<\/p>\n Madrid have already decided not to pursue a deal for Konate<\/a>, who is out of contract at Liverpool at the end of the season.<\/p>\n However, sources have told TEAMtalk\u2019s transfer correspondent, Dean Jones, that Liverpool believe that intermediaries are working to convince Madrid to make a U-turn over Konate<\/a>.<\/p>\n Alonso worked with Wirtz at Bayer Leverkusen and wanted to sign him for Madrid<\/a> when he was appointed the manager at the end of last season, but it was Liverpool<\/a> who paid the \u00a3116million (\u20ac133m, $157m) needed to convince the Bundesliga club to sell the Germany international attacking midfielder.<\/p>\n Want more breaking transfer lines from original sources? Add TEAMtalk\u00a0as a preferred source on Google\u00a0<\/a>to your favourites list for news you can trust.<\/p>\n Real Madrid debating Bruno Fernandes deal<\/p>\n Alonso wants a new midfielder, and, according to Fichajes<\/a>, Bruno Fernandes of Manchester United is one that Madrid find very appealing.<\/p>\n Madrid were linked with a move for Fernandes in the summer of 2025<\/a> by the English press, and now the Spanish media is claiming Los Blancos\u2019 interest in the Portuguese star.<\/p>\n One should note, though, that Fichajes is not one of the most reliable sources, so any report from the Spanish media outlet has to be taken with a big pinch of salt.<\/p>\n According to the report, Madrid have the financial capacity to meet Fernandes\u2019 release clause of \u20ac60million (\u00a352.3m, $70.7m) in his contract at Man Utd.<\/p>\n However, \u2018the big debate in Valdebebas\u2019 is about Fernandes\u2019 age.<\/p>\n The Portugal international is 31 now, and Madrid do not tend to spend big on players of that age.<\/p>\n \u2018The internal debate revolves around immediate performance versus the long-term perspective\u2019, notes the report.<\/p>\n \u2018Bruno Fernandes offers guarantees from day one, but he doesn\u2019t quite fit the usual transfer policy.\u2019<\/p>\n Sources have told TEAMtalk\u2019s transfer insider, Graeme Bailey, that Man Utd have no plans to sell Fernandes in the January transfer window<\/a>.<\/p>\n Fernandes, who is injured at the moment, gave an explosive interview in November<\/a>, which was only released earlier this month, in which he criticised the Man Utd \u2018directors\u2019 for being willing to sell him in the summer of 2025.<\/p>\n Nico Paz transfer hailed as \u2018deal of the century\u2019<\/p>\n Madrid already have a plan in place to bring Nico Paz back to Estadio Bernabeu next summer.<\/p>\n Paz is flourishing at Como at the moment, having joined the Italian club from Madrid in the summer of 2024.<\/p>\n We understand that Madrid plan to trigger the\u00a0\u20ac9million (\u00a38m, $10.6m) buy-back clause in Paz\u2019s contract at Como next summer<\/a>.<\/p>\n Our transfer correspondent, Graeme Bailey, has reported that Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City have tried to convince Paz to change his mind, but the Argentina international attacking midfielder is determined to return to Madrid at the end of the season.<\/p>\n