Manchester United is thinking about making a surprising move for Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde. A new report explains why this big transfer might be more possible than you think.

The Red Devils plan to bring in at least one new central midfielder in 2026, and they could even get two or three if things go their way. They are looking at Adam Wharton, Carlos Baleba, and Elliot Anderson. Joao Gomes and Conor Gallagher are also options, but not their main focus.

Some reports in Spain say that Man Utd might look to Real Madrid for Valverde.

Valverde, 27, is a key player for Real and has been seen as a future captain. But the Uruguay international is said to be among the players who are not happy with the new manager, Xabi Alonso.

A surprising report from The Mirror says that Valverde could end up at Old Trafford.

Their headline says: Real Madrid star to consider Manchester United transfer after Xabi Alonso bust-up. The star they are talking about is Valverde.

The report adds that Manchester United and Real Madrid could be in a fight over Federico Valverde. Real superstar Valverde has become a target for United.

Valverde's future at Real is uncertain after a disagreement with manager Xabi Alonso. The Uruguayan international is one of several Real players who are unhappy with Alonso's management.

Valverde's contract lasts until 2029, but he is thinking about leaving if his relationship with Alonso doesn't get better. United is one of the clubs watching the situation closely.

Ruben Amorim really likes Valverde and would want him at Old Trafford. But Real has made it clear that if Valverde wants to leave, he will cost £100m.

United thinks Valverde is worth closer to £70m, so the two clubs have very different ideas about his value.

Man Utd's most expensive purchase is still Paul Pogba at £89.3m. If they buy Valverde for a price closer to what Real Madrid wants, it would be a new transfer record for United.

Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso says he gets along very well with midfielder Jude Bellingham, despite rumours of tension between them. Alonso insists he has no problems with Bellingham, who has played really well since coming back from a shoulder injury that bothered him during the 2025-26 season.

Bellingham has been scoring goals since his return.

A report says Bellingham isn't happy with Alonso.

Even though Bellingham has played well in his first few games under Alonso, a Spanish newspaper, Mundo Deportivo, reported earlier this week that there might be some conflict between them. The report also says that Federico Valverde, Rodrygo, and Endrick aren't happy with Alonso, who took over as coach from Carlo Ancelotti this summer.

Alonso says he talks to Bellingham a lot

Before Real's game against Girona on Sunday, Alonso dismissed the rumours about his relationship with Bellingham, saying that their private conversations are fine.

When asked if he had any issues with Bellingham, Alonso said, Not at all. I talk to Jude all the time, and we get along great. He's a world-class player who wants to get better, learn, and use his potential to become more useful.

I like players who want to know how to improve and ask questions. He fits in well because he's very versatile, and we need to pay attention to what's going on around him.

Alonso also defends his relationship with Vinicius.

This isn't the first time Alonso has had to explain his relationship with a player. He was also questioned about his choice to put Vinicius on the bench for Real's game against Elche.

Alonso said after the game that he and Vinicius had discussed the plan beforehand: We talked about it. We talk about it often. He gets it; he knew what role he could play. We've done it before, like in Getafe. We're not happy today, but everyone is eager to get back on track.

He insisted that he and the rest of the Real team are getting closer: We haven't fallen apart. We're still competing, and each game is different. The result is what matters, and we know that and are honest with ourselves. The mood is good; we have to respond to tough situations. This is Real Madrid. We deal with criticism and want to improve.

We're getting to know each other better and spending more time together. We're all in the same situation, and we celebrate wins. We suffer if we don't win. We need to turn things around, starting with the game against Olympiacos.

Real's next game: Alonso's team wants to take back the top spot against Girona.

Real wants to get back to the top of La Liga when they play Girona on Sunday. Alonso's team lost their place at the top after Barcelona beat Alaves 3-1 on Saturday, with Dani Olmo scoring twice.

Real is preparing for its game against Girona after winning 4-3 against Olympiacos in the Champions League this week. They want to find their form in La Liga after drawing their last two games against Rayo Vallecano and Elche.

Before the Girona game, Alonso said, "The plan has always been the same." We've had some problems, but we're going to fix them to get better. We want to keep being aggressive, proactive, and focused when we try to win the ball back. If the team isn't organised, things get harder. We need to be organised, focused, and confident in how to do things.