Game over for Rodri? 🗣️ “What I’m being told is that he’s the direct replacement.

Real Madrid entered the international break with confidence and power. After a narrow but important 2-1 victory against Mallorca, the Santiago Bernabeu crowd stood on their feet and roared as Xabi Alonso’s men made it three wins from three to begin the new La Liga season. The energy around Madrid was electric again. It felt like the beginning of something special, something that could define the Xabi Alonso era in Spain. But as always, behind the happiness and the smiles, Real Madrid’s transfer office was not sleeping. The club was already planning its next move, and what they were preparing was nothing short of massive.

The talk inside Valdebebas was not about celebration. It was about domination. Xabi Alonso wanted perfection, and he made it clear to Florentino Perez that there was one area of his squad that still needed work — the midfield. Despite Real Madrid’s shining performances, Alonso believed there was a missing piece, a young defensive leader who could control games the way Casemiro once did. And that is when one name began to echo through the halls of the club: Adam Wharton.

Wharton’s rise at Crystal Palace had caught the attention of every major club in Europe. At just 21, he was already showing maturity and calmness beyond his age. His control of the ball, his tackling, his ability to read danger before it happened — everything screamed Real Madrid material. The scouting reports were glowing. Xabi Alonso, himself a midfield master during his playing days, looked at Wharton and saw a reflection of what Real Madrid once had — intelligence, authority, and fearlessness.

The reports from England claimed that Manchester United, Manchester City, and Liverpool were all circling the young Englishman. But Real Madrid didn’t want to compete; they wanted to dominate. Sources close to the club revealed that Los Blancos were preparing a €115 million offer for Wharton — a number that would shock even the Premier League market. This wasn’t just a signing. It was a statement. Real Madrid wanted the future of English midfield play to belong to them.

The club had already made big moves earlier in the summer. They had strengthened their defense with the arrivals of Dean Huijsen, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Alvaro Carreras. Each of them had come to Madrid with one mission: to make the team stronger, faster, and smarter. The addition of Franco Mastantuono from River Plate added more creativity to the attack, another young gem who could light up the Bernabeu for the next decade. But for Alonso, the puzzle wasn’t complete. He needed a soldier in midfield, a guardian in front of the backline who could win balls, start plays, and protect the rhythm of the game.

Inside the Madrid boardroom, Florentino Perez reportedly agreed with his manager. Perez had always loved big statements, and this one fit the club’s DNA. €115 million for a Premier League midfielder would send shockwaves through world football. It would also prove that Real Madrid remained the place where the world’s most promising talents dreamed of playing.

However, the plan was complicated. Madrid’s financial structure this summer had already been stretched by their earlier transfers, and to move for Wharton now would have required the sale of one of their top attackers. For a while, everyone thought that man would be Rodrygo Goes. There were whispers in the corridors that Manchester City were watching him closely. Pep Guardiola admired his technical ability and his calmness in big moments. But Xabi Alonso made it clear that Rodrygo was not for sale.

Rodrygo had been part of the club’s new identity, a young Brazilian who had fought his way to become a starter in one of the most competitive squads in the world. Even though his form had dipped in recent months, Alonso believed in him. He saw Rodrygo as someone who could explode under his system, someone who still had so much to give. Selling him, even for a huge sum, would have been too risky.

That decision meant Real Madrid would have to wait for the Wharton deal. But the waiting was strategic. Alonso wanted to see how Wharton’s season in England unfolded. If the young midfielder continued to dominate, then Madrid would go all in next summer — and they would do it with a plan so calculated that even the richest English clubs couldn’t stop them.

While all of this was happening, there were other stories developing around Real Madrid’s dressing room. One of them involved Dani Ceballos. The Spanish midfielder had fallen far down the pecking order under Alonso. Once seen as a bright prospect with flair and creativity, Ceballos now found himself struggling for minutes. His name had been linked with an exit for months. Some reports suggested Juventus were interested in bringing him to Serie A. But Fabrizio Romano quickly shut those rumors down. According to the respected transfer insider, Juventus were not working on any deal for Ceballos.

Romano’s words were clear: there was no contact, no negotiation, and no plan for a late move. Ceballos, meanwhile, had also turned down an approach from Marseille earlier in the year. He wanted to stay and fight for his place, but it was becoming increasingly obvious that Xabi Alonso had moved on. The coach wanted a midfield built on speed, balance, and intensity. Ceballos didn’t fit that mold anymore.

The situation left the Spaniard in a tough spot. He loved Real Madrid, but his career was stuck. Fans who once adored his fighting spirit now barely mentioned his name. Every new signing seemed to push him further down the list. And as the transfer window closed, there was a feeling that Ceballos might be facing his final season at the Bernabeu unless something drastic changed.

But the most watched story, without question, was still Rodrygo. For days, Manchester City had been linked with him. Some reports claimed that Guardiola wanted him as a replacement for Savinho if the Brazilian winger were to be sold. But according to journalist Pete O’Rourke, that was never close to happening. Speaking to Football Insider, O’Rourke explained that Rodrygo was happy at Madrid, and that the player had no intention of leaving as long as he was getting game time.

O’Rourke revealed that Madrid would only consider selling Rodrygo for a massive fee — one that even City, with all their wealth, might hesitate to pay. He said the deal was nearly impossible so late in the transfer window, especially because City appeared to have decided to keep Savinho after all. That closed the door on any chance of a late Real Madrid exit for Rodrygo.

In truth, Rodrygo’s relationship with Madrid had always been deeper than money. He had grown into the club, endured criticism, and celebrated triumphs. When he scored important goals in the Champions League, the Bernabeu roared his name. He was part of a generation that had carried Madrid through transition — the generation after Benzema, Modric, and Kroos. To leave now, when Alonso was building something new and exciting, would have felt wrong.

Rodrygo’s current deal runs until 2028, a sign of how much the club trusts him. So far this season, he has featured twice, slowly finding his rhythm as Madrid’s attacking setup continues to evolve. With new signings like Mastantuono and the return of star players from injury, the competition is fierce, but Rodrygo knows that he has earned the manager’s respect.

Meanwhile, back in England, Crystal Palace fans began to brace themselves for what could come next. The news of Real Madrid’s €115 million interest in Adam Wharton hit them like a storm. Palace had developed a reputation for producing top English talent, but losing Wharton would hurt deeply. The midfielder had become the heart of their team, and his maturity at such a young age had turned him into a fan favorite. But money talks, and when Real Madrid come calling, even the proudest Premier League clubs start to tremble.

Reports from Spain said that Madrid scouts had been attending Palace games quietly for months. They admired Wharton’s discipline, his passing accuracy, and the way he commanded his midfield with authority. For Alonso, who once dictated games with surgical precision, Wharton felt like a player who understood the language of control. And Real Madrid is a club that values control above everything.

Florentino Perez knew the risks of such an expensive move, but he also understood the message it would send. Signing Adam Wharton would be another reminder that Real Madrid’s empire was expanding again — that even the best talents in England could be drawn to the white shirt. The president had already pulled off countless miracles in the transfer market over the years, from Cristiano Ronaldo to Jude Bellingham. Wharton could be the next jewel in the crown.

Behind closed doors, Madrid’s transfer strategy had become a long-term operation. They weren’t just buying stars; they were building the next era. Alonso’s system demanded youth, hunger, and tactical intelligence. The likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Huijsen fit that perfectly. Wharton would be the next piece, the one who protects and dictates. The one who stands at the heart of Madrid’s football for years to come.

As he window closed and players departed for international duty, peace briefly returned to Valdebebas. But everyone knew that calm in Madrid never lasts for long. The club is always restless, always planning. Wharton’s name might fade from headlines for now, but inside the walls of the Bernabeu, the plan is alive. Perez and Alonso have made it clear: next summer, Real Madrid will strike again.

For now, Alonso’s focus turns back to the field. Three wins from three is a perfect start, but he knows the road is long. The new faces must gel, the veterans must stay fit, and the team must continue to grow. But there’s a quiet confidence around him — a belief that Real Madrid are on the right path, both on the pitch and in the transfer market.

Dani Ceballos watches from the sidelines, wondering what the future holds. Rodrygo sharpens his finishing in training, determined to prove he deserves to stay. And somewhere in South London, Adam Wharton plays another Premier League game, unaware that the eyes of the biggest club in the world are studying his every move

Real Madrid are not done building. They are just getting started. And when this new era reaches full power, when the €115 million plan becomes reality, the football world will once again bow to the name that never fades — Real Madrid.

Because for Madrid, transfer windows are not just about buying players. They are about sending messages. And the message now is clear: under Xabi Alonso and Florentino Perez, Los Blancos are preparing to rule again, to blend youth with greatness, to chase perfection, and to make sure that every rising star in world football dreams of wearing the white shirt.

In the end, the story of this transfer window wasn’t about who they signed. It was about who they are becoming. Madrid’s past was glorious, their present is promising, and their future — if Wharton and others join — might be unstoppable.

The Bernabeu lights will shine brighter, the fans will sing louder, and every opponent who walks through those gates will feel the same fear that generations before them have felt. The empire is alive. And it is ready to rise again