Real Madrid have been desperate to sign Álvaro Carreras from Benfica this summer and a transfer agreement has now been reached, Los Blancos were eager to add t

But listen to the way Xabi Alonso spoke about Alex Grimaldo throughout Bayer Leverkusen’s invincible title-winning season — when he provided 10 goals and 13 assists in the Bundesliga from his high-flying wing-back role — and it would be fair to assume that the Spaniard was top of the class.