Liverpool Handed Major Rodrygo Boost Amid Real Madrid UncertaintyLiverpool’s pursuit of Rodrygo has been given fresh encouragement, with the Real Madrid forward increasingly unsettled in Spain and

The start of Real Madrid's new era came with a painful defeat - but manager Xabi Alonso has the chance of a lifetime with his former club.

MADRID — Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso has praised the maturity of teenager newcomer Franco Mastantuono and downplayed the player's choice of former Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi as the world's best player.

In response, club president Florentino Perez hired Alonso and sanctioned around €180million (£155m; $210.5m) to be spent on new players, including defenders Dean Huijsen, Alvaro Carreras and Trent Alexander-Arnold, along with exciting young Argentine playmaker Franco Mastantuono.

According to a recent report from Diario AS, Real Madrid’s pursuit may depend on Liverpool lowering its asking price. The Spanish club values Konaté between €20 million and €25 million, while Liverpool are holding out for closer to €50 million.

Real Madrid players have been left surprised by the level of talent that one of the young Real Madrid players has shown in training.

Talks over a new contract for Vinicius Junior at Real Madrid have been stalled for weeks, a source has told ESPN, with the Brazil international's representatives believing it wouldn't make sense to accept the club's latest offer.

Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso said on Monday he wanted his team's performance on the pitch to do the talking for him as he begins his first LaLiga campaign at home against Osasuna on Tuesday.

Real Madrid head coach Xabi Alonso has said he is counting on Rodrygo amid links to Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City. After playing a bit-part role at the Club World Cup earlier in the summer, the Brazilian continues to be linked with a Santiago Bernabeu exit before the transfer window closes.