Liverpool at risk of losing £33.6m midfield target to Alonso’s Madrid | OneFootball

Xabi Alonso, Real Madrid, and the Battle for Angelo Stiller: Liverpool’s Midfield Plan Under Threat

Alonso’s Influence and Madrid’s New Era

Xabi Alonso’s return to Real Madrid is no quiet homecoming. The former Liverpool maestro is stepping into one of the most demanding jobs in football, replacing Carlo Ancelotti at the Santiago Bernabeu, and is wasting no time asserting his influence. According to TEAMtalk, Alonso is already targeting Liverpool on multiple fronts—and not just in terms of tactical supremacy. He’s eyeing some of the Premier League champions’ key transfer targets.

The Spanish giants have acted swiftly to land Dean Huijsen for £50million in just six hours, despite Liverpool’s interest. That might only be the start of the summer skirmishes between Madrid and Liverpool, particularly if Alonso’s eyes remain fixed on Merseyside.

As TEAMtalk’s Fraser Fletcher reports, “Dean Huijsen has become Madrid’s first signing… despite Liverpool’s interest in the Spain international.” The implications are clear: Liverpool’s pulling power might face a new continental rival under Alonso’s guidance.

Now Alonso is reportedly pushing to sign Angelo Stiller, a 24-year-old German midfielder who has drawn comparisons to Toni Kroos and Joshua Kimmich. Liverpool have tracked the player for months. Yet if Alonso gets his way, Madrid may leapfrog them again.

Stiller’s Rise and Role

So who exactly is Angelo Stiller, and why are top European clubs in hot pursuit?

A graduate of Bayern Munich’s academy, Stiller’s journey has been methodical rather than meteoric. He made his Bundesliga breakthrough at Hoffenheim before flourishing under Sebastian Hoeness at Stuttgart. His maturity, reading of the game, and high pass completion rate—around 90% this season—make him a natural successor to Kroos in the national team.

While his game isn’t laced with flair or goals (his first for Stuttgart came seven months after arriving), Stiller brings order to chaos. He’s a calm distributor, a metronome in midfield, and a player who—like Rodri or Busquets in their prime—thrives on positioning and precision.

A Bundesliga profile likens him to Joshua Kimmich, and his growing international reputation confirms that comparison isn’t hyperbole. Germany legend Lothar Matthäus even claimed Stiller would be a great fit at Barcelona. “He would organise their midfield,” Matthäus observed—hardly faint praise from someone of his stature.

TEAMtalk report that Alonso has told Madrid to act now and “get a deal done for Stiller in the summer transfer window and stop him from joining Liverpool.”

Liverpool’s Midfield Plan Under Slot

Since Jurgen Klopp’s departure last summer, Arne Slot has worked hard to evolve Liverpool without abandoning their identity. His midfield rebuild has been one of the quiet successes of the campaign. Ryan Gravenberch has stepped up, thriving in a role that once puzzled fans and pundits alike.

But even with Gravenberch’s rise, Liverpool want a specialist holding midfielder. TEAMtalk confirm that Slot “wants to sign a defensive midfielder in the summer transfer window,” with Rudy Galetti noting back in January that Liverpool had been monitoring Stiller for some time.

Stiller would bring something different to Liverpool’s engine room. His ball progression, control, and tempo-setting would complement Gravenberch’s dynamism, Mac Allister’s intelligence, and Szoboszlai’s verticality. Yet the threat of losing him to Alonso and Madrid is real.

And the transfer tug-of-war doesn’t end with Stiller.

Madrid are reportedly keeping tabs on Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose contract expires this summer. There’s growing talk of him making the switch to the Bernabeu. TEAMtalk note that “it is also widely expected that Trent Alexander-Arnold will make the switch to the Santiago Bernabeu.” Lose Trent and miss out on Stiller? That would sting. Badly.

Bundesliga’s Diamond in Demand

Interest in Stiller is not without merit. His valuation—€40million (£33.6m)—seems modest considering today’s market and his potential ceiling. His Bundesliga form, including a pivotal role in Stuttgart’s runner-up finish, makes that price tag seem like a bargain.

Breaking The Lines described him as “The Diamond of the Bundesliga” in March 2025. Former Germany international Andreas Beck added, “he is one of the gems in the German top flight.”

Liverpool, who missed out on Martin Zubimendi last summer, cannot afford another near-miss. Zubimendi’s late change of heart and decision to stay at Real Sociedad burned the Reds, who were desperate to add steel to the spine of their midfield.

Stiller would offer a more affordable and potentially longer-lasting alternative.

Our View – Anfield Index Analysis

Tone: Sceptical – From a Liverpool Fan’s Perspective

So here we go again. Another summer, another midfield target being eyed by a European rival with deeper pockets and an old flame at the helm. There’s no doubt Angelo Stiller would fit perfectly into Arne Slot’s evolving system—composed, tactical, intelligent—but should we now just accept that Real Madrid get first pick?

What’s most frustrating isn’t just the Madrid interest. It’s Xabi Alonso’s role in it. Many Reds saw him as Klopp’s natural successor. That dream evaporated when he chose Leverkusen—and now Madrid. But pushing to beat Liverpool to one of their most realistic midfield targets feels like a betrayal.

Let’s not forget, this is a club that lost out on Jude Bellingham to Madrid too. We can’t keep being the bridesmaid in every major Bundesliga love story. Especially not when there’s a £33.6m deal on the table for a player already likened to Kroos and Kimmich.

Of course, we trust the recruitment team. Gravenberch has come good, and Endo’s been solid. But if Madrid land Huijsen, poach Trent, and now snatch Stiller—revenge talk or not—it leaves us short again.

We’re not angry. We’re just tired of being told we were “interested” after the fact. If we really want Stiller, we need to move—fast and decisively.