Gonzalo Garcia is living the dream many of us have only woken up imagining. A highly talented Castilla graduate, he has already earned a respectable place in Xabi Alonso’s trust book.
He has started well in the Club World Cup, and the absence of Kylian Mbappe has come as the greatest opportunity of his career so far. To his credit, he has made the most of it with one goal and an assist in two games.
Real Madrid have long been struggling with scoring in crucial moments, a problem that dates back to last season and proved to be one of the team’s biggest setbacks.
Xabi Alonso clearly misses a Joselu-type striker in his current setup, even though Mbappe did recently win the Pichichi.
Gonzalo Garcia appears to be a solid answer to that problem. He is lethal in the air, technically sharp on the ball, and has the potential to score heavily next season if given consistent opportunities.
His performances have been notable enough to attract media attention during the Club World Cup. In a recent post-match interaction, the Castilla striker opened up about being compared to Joselu.
He said, “Joselu has been a tremendous player here at the club and a role model for me. I spoke to him the other day and told him that all this, comparing myself to him, is an honor for me, and I'd never imagined it. A figure like him and a striker who has put up very good numbers here at Castilla and with the first team. I hope I can be like him.”
Garcia is the closest thing Real Madrid have to a Joselu-type striker right now
Even average strikers are absurdly expensive in today’s transfer market, and Real Madrid are not looking for average. They want excellence, and those price tags are growing by the day.
But perhaps they need not look outside. Gonzalo Garcia already idolizes Joselu and is following a trajectory that could see him become just as important, just as consistent.
Garcia might be the striker Real Madrid have been searching for all these months. But even after such performances, his first-team status is not secure.
Let’s not forget, he got these chances only due to Mbappe’s absence, and the Frenchman is set to return for the Club World Cup Round of 16. Whether Xabi Alonso chooses to go bold from here remains to be seen.