According to Defensa Central, new Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso has been deeply impressed by Federico Valverde’s early training displays at Valdebebas.
Despite only overseeing three sessions so far, Alonso is already forming his first impressions, and Valverde has made a strong one.
While many of the squad’s international players are still returning from national duty, Valverde was one of the first senior names to report for pre-season.
The Uruguayan midfielder trained for the first time under Alonso this week, and the former midfielder was reportedly delighted with what he saw.
In a conversation with his coaching staff, Alonso reportedly said, “You can see that he already feels like the captain of this group, he transmits it and that is very good.”
Valverde’s leadership on the pitch is no surprise to Real Madrid fans. The 26-year-old has long been considered one of the most important players in the team, and his consistent performances, intensity, and drive have set him apart.
There are even key figures at the club who believe he has what it takes to wear the captain’s armband in the near future.
More importantly, Valverde is fully committed to Real Madrid. Both he and his family are happy in the Spanish capital, and despite interest from several top European clubs, he remains fully focused on succeeding at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Alonso is expected to continue building around Valverde, just like his predecessor Carlo Ancelotti did.
However, fans are hopeful that the Uruguayan will be used in his natural midfield role rather than being shifted to right-back, a position he was occasionally forced to play last season.