Real Madrid’s Best XI After 2025 Summer Transfer Window

Real Madrid added four new faces to their already star-studded squad this summer to kick off the Xabi Alonso era.

After failing to win a major trophy last season, Real Madrid turned to the transfer market to bolster their team ahead of the 2025–26 season. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen, Álvaro Carreras and Franco Mastantuono all made the move to the Spanish capital with the hopes of helping Los Blancos return to the mountaintop in both Spain and Europe.

The four signings have all earned starts so far in Real Madrid’s early La Liga campaign, playing their roles in the Spanish giants’ perfect start under Alonso. The league runners-up sit atop the standings with nine out of nine possible points.

Still, not all the new arrivals have a place in the team’s XI alongside the likes of Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior should the manager deploy his strongest lineup.

Real Madrid’s Best XI After Summer Transfer Window (4-3-1-2)

GK: Thibaut Courtois

Ever since he made the move to the Spanish capital in in 2018, Thibaut Courtois has been the man between the posts for Real Madrid. The goalkeeper has played hero for the Spanish giants time and time again, especially in the 2022 Champions League final where he stood on his head against Liverpool.

Courtois is up there with Alisson as the two best goalkeepers in the world, a title the Belgian hopes to solely claim now that he has a proper defense in front of him at Real Madrid.

RB: Trent Alexander-Arnold

Alexander-Arnold was Real Madrid’s statement signing of the summer. The England international bid farewell to Merseyside after 20 years to begin a new chapter of his career in a white shirt.

Although the 26-year-old has yet to play his best since the move, he is still the strongest option for Alonso to deploy on the right flank. Dani Carvajal has the defensive edge over the new signing, but the growing chemistry between Alexander-Arnold and Mbappé is too explosive to ignore, especially once the ex-Liverpool star fully settles in at his new club.

CB: Éder Militão

Éder Militão was not a new signing this summer, but he feels like one. The Brazilian missed virtually all of the last two seasons after suffering two different ACL injuries.

The defender is back healthy, though, and looks like he never missed any time, let alone two years. Militão’s poise, positioning and outstanding defensive efforts are exactly what Real Madrid missed last season. There is no question the 27-year-old gets the nod over Antonio Rüdiger, who has not looked the same since his own knee injury.

CB: Dean Huijsen

Alexander-Arnold might have stolen the spotlight during the summer transfer window for Real Madrid, but Huijsen is grabbing all the headlines now. The 20-year-old seamlessly transitioned from Bournemouth to the biggest club in the world, becoming an irreplaceable member of Alonso’s XI just three games into the season.

Huijsen is slowly redefining the position at Real Madrid. Not only is the Spain international defensively sound, but he is exceptional with the ball at his feet. The center back is unafraid to carry the ball forward, switch the field of play with a long ball or crash the box when the moment calls.

No one is taking Huijsen’s spot in Los Blancos’ backline.

LB: Álvaro Carreras

Carreras rounds out Real Madrid’s new-look backline. It was widely speculated that the 22-year-old would have to battle with Ferland Mendy and Fran García for the position, but it soon became very apparent that there is little competition.

The former Benfica standout is the perfect combination of Mendy’s defensive prowess and García’s attacking threat. Plus, Carreras brings speed and a fearlessness to take on players up and down the left flank.

Once the Spaniard gets more comfortable linking up with Vinícius Júnior, he will take his already impressive game to new heights.

CM: Fede Valverde

Fede Valverde remains one of Real Madrid’s most consistent, underrated players. The Uruguayan can play virtually anywhere on the pitch, from his natural position in the midfield to the right flank to the right wing.

Inheriting the No. 8 shirt from Toni Kroos came with expectations that Valverde met and exceeded. From his work rate, to his selflessness, to his long-range accuracy, the 27-year-old is the unsung hero of Real Madrid.

CM: Aurélien Tchouaméni

Aurélien Tchouaméni was whistled off the pitch last winter at the Santiago Bernabéu after a string of poor performances in 2024–25. Fast forward to now and the Frenchman looks like a completely different player.

Tchouaméni put his head down and elevated his game to become the midfielder Real Madrid needed. After spending so much time playing as an emergency center back, the 25-year-old is back to his natural position where he serves as a shield for Los Blancos’ backline, hardly putting a foot wrong since Alonso’s arrival.

CM: Arda Güler

There was so much talk of Real Madrid signing a midfielder to replace Luka Modrić, but Alonso instead entrusted Arda Güler to abandon the right wing and play a deeper role alongside Valverde and Tchouaméni. The 20-year-old settled into his new position nicely, finally proving he can be a starter at the biggest club in the world.

Güler already has a goal and an assist to this name through three La Liga matches under Alonso, and he has created the most chances (10) across all of Europe. Every time the Türkiye international shines, it becomes more and more perplexing that he spent almost all of last season on the bench.

AM: Jude Bellingham

Real Madrid are counting down the days until Jude Bellingham returns from his long-awaited shoulder surgery. If Los Blancos want to lift silverware this season, then they need the England international back in their XI.

Bellingham’s creativity and vision in the final third is second to none. The 22-year-old pulls the strings of Real Madrid’s attack, consistently setting up his teammates or finding the back of the net on his own.

His dip in production last season came from having to play as a quasi-fullback, but now Bellingham is free to return to his No. 10 role, a position in which he is arguably the best in the entire world.

ST: Kylian Mbappé

Real Madrid is Mbappé’s team. The Frenchman might have gotten off to a slow start in a white shirt, but now, the club goes the way he goes.

The former Paris Saint-Germain forward has already found the back of the net a league-leading three times in 2025–26, picking up right where he left off last season when he won the Pichichi Trophy and the European Golden Boot.

Although Alonso has reiterated that no one’s position is safe, the manager will not have any plans to remove Mbappé from his XI.

ST: Vinícius Júnior

Even though Vinícius Júnior put together an underwhelming 2024–25 campaign, the Brazilian is still far and away the best option to have playing alongside Mbappé. When the lights are the brightest in Europe, Real Madrid look to Vinícius Júnior to carry them to glory.

The winger looks back to his old self this season, recording one goal and two assists in three appearances. In fact, Vinícius Júnior has been involved in 50% of Los Blancos’ goals in 2025–26.

Even if Alonso gives Rodrygo the nod over Vinícius Júnior a few times moving forward, the 2024 Ballon d’Or runner-up is a staple of Los Blancos’ attack.