Kylian Mbappe gets dream Real Madrid shirt number as Xabi Alonso gives Rodrygo brutal message
Kylian Mbappe is reportedly set to take the iconic No. 10 shirt at Real Madrid this season after the departure of club legend Luka Modric, while Rodrygo could also be set to depart. Mbappe has worn the No. 9 since joining Madrid from Paris Saint-Germain last summer.
The No. 10 has previously been worn by the likes of Modric, Luis Figo, Clarence Seedorf and Ferenc Puskas and a new report from Spanish outlet Marca claims that Mbappe is the main candidate for the number.
The report states that Arda Guler is another option, but Mbappe is the favourite having previously worn the No. 10 shirt during his time at Monaco.
It is claimed that Real Madrid also believe that Mbappe taking the shirt could be huge from a marketing perspective, with the number 'destined to be exploited'.
Another iconic shirt at Real Madrid is the No. 11, which has previously been donned by Gareth Bale, Arjen Robben, Ronaldo and Paco Gento. Rodrygo currently wears the No. 11, but he could be on his way out of the club this summer.
The Brazilian has fallen down the pecking order recently and made just one start at the recent Club World Cup, with new manager Xabi Alonso preferring other options. And Marca are now reporting that Alonso has informed Rodrygo that he 'will have a difficult time playing' this season.
Rodrygo has been linked with Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham so far this summer and Alonso was quizzed about the player's future after he did not feature in Real Madrid's 4-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals of the Club World Cup.
"I didn't play Rodrygo for a technical decision," Alonso explained. "We thought we would be better off with other players. It's not about his future. 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.
"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."
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