Xabi Alonso addresses Rodrygo transfer question after Brazilian forward left out again as Real Madrid crash out of Club World Cup

Real Madrid's shock loss to PSG in the Club World Cup semi-final raised a lot of questions about Alonso's tactics. Among the many questions aimed at the Spanish manager, some concerned Rodrygo's situation at the club. The head coach labelled the decision to bench the winger as a tactical one. Further emphasising that this decision does not reflect on his future at the club.

The situation for Rodrygo hasn't improved under the new management of Alonso. The winger's only start in the Club World Cup came against Al-Hilal, in which he provided an assist. When asked about Alonso's decision to bench him in a crucial face-off, the manager swiftly called it a tactical decision and denied any reports regarding his future at Santiago Bernabeu.

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Rodrygo has not been given a consistent run in the first team at Madrid for quite some time now. The 24-year-old has only managed to play 27 minutes in his last five games for the club. This raises concern because the player has been highly linked with a move to the Premier League for more game-time, with Arsenal and Liverpool interested in signing the two-time Champions League winner.

When asked about his decision to bench Rodrygo, Alonso said: " The fact that he didn't play again is a game-by-game decision. The way things were going, we needed another player. There haven't been any decisions about the future throughout this entire championship; we haven't rotated much. We'll start in a different context."

He added: "We want to build a team that plays as a unit and maintain that feeling and spirit. The World Cup has been very demanding; we've been left in the penultimate stage, it hurts, and now we'll see what happens."

Los Blancos have reportedly put a price tag of €90 million (£78m/$106m) on the Brazilian. That leaves Arsenal and Liverpool as the two contenders with enough financial power to negotiate a deal with Madrid, but it requires a firm stance from Rodrygo's camp. Saudi Clubs are also interested, but the winger prefers to stay in Europe to compete at a higher level.