Transfer Rumour: Real Madrid eyeing controversial Thiago Alcantara capture

Real Madrid are keeping a keen eye on four members of the Spanish National Team, one of them reportedly being former Barcelona man Thiago Alcantara.

Spanish publication Don Balon are claiming that Florentino Perez is looking to add to the growing Spanish contingent at Santiago Bernabeu. The Real Madrid president is keeping tabs on four of the players who are currently a part of the senior Spanish side, one of them being Bayern Munich star and Barcelona academy graduate Thiago Alcantara.

The report entails four names that are on the radar of Real Madrid – Kepa Arrizabalaga, Alvaro Odriozola, Suso and Thiago Alcantara. While Kepa and Odriozola have been linked with the club for a considerable amount of time, Thiago Alcantara and Suso are shock targets.

Thiago Alcantara started his career off at Barcelona, being hailed as the natural heir to Xavi and Andres Iniesta at the club. However, a lack of playing time saw the player opting to move to Bayern Munich, where he struggled at first but has since established himself as a regular for both the German champions and La Furia.

In the present season itself, the player has featured in every Bundesliga game whenever fit and available and his status has not changed with the arrival of Jupp Heynckes. Bayern Munich seem to have been reinvigorated by the return of their former manager at helm.

But, their stature in Europe is still under question, especially their ability to compete with the fellow elites like Barcelona, Real Madrid and others. While Thiago has been linked with a return to Barcelona, he could also be tempted to join Real Madrid in their stead.

With Real already laying down the succession plan for Luka Modric along with the localisation of talent within the team – focus on recruitment of Spanish talents – Thiago has the rare opportunity of leading the club into a new era that includes prospects like Marco Asensio, Dani Ceballos, Jesus Vallejo and others.

Barcelona fans though, would love to have Thiago back at Camp Nou, with the prospect of their chosen heir to Xavi and Iniesta returning to take centre stage and lead Barcelona’s midfield revolution.

Bayern, meanwhile, would not want to lose Thiago, with the player contracted to the club till 2021. And while the Spain international does seem happy at the Allianz Arena, it would be interesting to see whether the 26-year-old can resist the temptation of returning to Spain in the future, near or otherwise.