It is nearly confirmed that Real Madrid's next manager will be Xabi Alonso. He announced his departure from Bayer Leverkusen long ago and Brazil have announced their signing of Carlo Ancelotti.
Xabi's arrival is expected to cause a major overhaul within Real Madrid. Many players who enjoyed a protected position under Ancelotti will not be untouchable anymore. New signings may also be made.
The manager will be expected to turn things around. But which players are likely to lose their standing, and which will benefit the most from the Spaniard's arrival?
Winner: Arda Guler
In my opinion, Guler is definitely going to be the biggest beneficiary from this move. Xabi's affection for the boy is not unknown. Even before he signed for Real Madrid, the manager wanted to loan him to Bayer Leverkusen.
According to recent sources, the Turk is anticipated to be one of Xabi's project flagbearers in Madrid. We know how much Xabi's system depends on an effective midfield and its movements, and Guler, in my opinion, is the ideal contender to take a permanent spot with Xabi.
Guler suffered a lot under Ancelotti. The Italian was hell-bent on not playing him as long as the situation was absolutely dire, even though the player showed capability and talent in whatever little time he received.
As a good deep-lying playmaker - who is also the closest player Real Madrid have in terms of a Luka Modric replacement - Guler will be the biggest winner from Xabi's arrival.
Loser: Ferland Mendy
Ferland Mendy has not performed well for Madrid recently. Yes, his defensive impact is undeniable, but Madrid will require far more than that in the system that Xabi intends to employ.
Additionally, he is extremely injury prone. And again, the protection he enjoyed under Ancelotti may not be there any longer. Ancelotti trusted him too much but Xabi might not.
Xabi is already looking for a new left back, as are Real Madrid. There are several names on the plate, but none are compelling enough yet.
If a new solid left back arrives, Ferland Mendy will be forced to play a lower role. Mendy may have to go in an extreme circumstance, which has not been ruled out but is preferable to me. Again, extreme, but not completely ruled out.
Winner: Endrick
Endrick suffered the same problem that Guler did - a simple lack of genuine minutes. And it's not that the two of them were untrustworthy or completely horrible, which would have justified their treatment; they were good, especially for their age, but Ancelotti's obsession with regular players and anti-rotation mindset made no room for them.
This is not to say that Xabi will fully change Endrick's fate. Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe's positions will remain same, but there may be more dependence on Endrick for games that can be risked. Ancelotti was hesitant to do this.
Understand that Real Madrid signed Endrick with a long-term perspective. The player has the potential to be the world's top striker.
He is only 18 years old right now and has a career as long as his age ahead of him. With patience and the proper manager, he is likely to earn far more than his present 709 minutes this season.
Loser: Dani Ceballos
Ceballos was doing well until he suffered an injury midway through the season. Since his return, he has been ordinary, if not worse. His game has degraded, and I hate to say it, but he has returned to being the player he was a few years ago.
His future prospects at Madrid appear bleak. And this is due to both his performance and Xabi's chase of fresh signings.
The manager has reportedly given Real Madrid a list of signings he needs and two ace midfielders top it: Martin Zubimendi and Bayer colleague Florian Wirtz. Both are excellent and consistent players Xabi adores and aims to build his midfield around.
Madrid's midfield is already crowded. To incorporate even one of the above mentioned names, a harsh goodbye is imminent. And the first name that comes to mind for the downsizing is undoubtedly Ceballos.
Winner: Rodrygo
Rodrygo has received a lot of criticism this season, and properly so. He has performed poorly and inconsistently. He appears to be out of shape, but this has been the case for a long time, much longer than usual.
I'd like to point up an observation from Sunday's El Clasico. Rodrygo was not included in any of Carlo Ancelotti's several attacking lineup substitutions. Brahim was preferred above him, then Endrick, and finally the youthful Victor Munoz.
Rodrygo has clearly dropped significantly in the choosing order, which he most likely caused himself. As it stands, he is more out of Real Madrid than in. Manchester City apparently expressed interest in him earlier this season, and the chance of him departing is genuine.
But Xabi is the only one who can persuade him to stay. Xabi may still have faith in him, despite Ancelotti's obvious lack of it. Xabi could propose a solution or design a method to put Rodrygo back on the left. His role may be little, but it is still preferable to leaving at all.
Loser: Fran Garcia
Fran's position is not entirely different from that of Ferland Mendy. He is untrustworthy and not much of a game player. He is not a competent defender, as seen by his limited playing time this season.
He even trailed David Alaba in the starting lineup during Mendy's injuries during crucial Champions League matches. Fran's lack of consistency is one of his most significant flaws.
He is too preoccupied with his thoughts to make a clear decision about whether to charge on the ball or track back. In pursuit of this, he makes numerous mistakes and causes minor harm here and there.
As previously stated, Real Madrid are already seeking for a new left-back. Miguel Gutierrez was considered previously, but he may now join one of Los Blancos' primary rivals. However, the pursuit continues, and Mendy and Fran's spots are far from safe.