Real Madrid’s young striker Gonzalo Garcia impresses at Club World Cup amid Mbappe’s absence, attracting Premier League interest.
Real Madrid began the Xabi Alonso era with Kylian Mbappe sidelined and a relatively unknown striker leading the line. While Real fans mainly knew the Spaniard as the top scorer for Castilla this season, Gonzalo Garcia Torres is now starting to make a name for himself in the first team.
With Mbappé out for most of the last two weeks due to acute gastroenteritis, Alonso’s desire to use a natural striker gave Garcia a chance in the senior squad. The 21-year-old took his opportunity well, scoring two goals and providing one assist in his first three starts for the club.
Interest from the Premier League
According to reports from Cadena SER and Diario AS, Real Madrid have received inquiries from Premier League clubs about Garcia Torres. Three top-table teams have asked Los Blancos about the striker’s availability this summer. Their response was to point to his €50m (approximately £43m) release clause for any club interested. It is also reported that half of the La Liga clubs intend to request Garcia on loan once the season begins.
Gonzalo Garcia of Real Madrid pictured in July 2025
Will Xabi Alonso keep him?
Real Madrid reportedly want to strengthen their attack this summer after the notable absence of Joselu last season. Garcia’s main goal is to fulfil his dream of establishing himself in the first team at the Santiago Bernabeu. Alonso recently stated no decision has been made about Garcia’s future. However, recent reports suggest Garcia is winning over the coach, who at least wants to keep him. Real initially planned to cash in on Garcia this summer, but Alonso’s comparison of him to Raul Gonzalez indicates the Basque manager holds him in high regard.
The key question remains what role Garcia would realistically have if he stayed in the first team. After all, he would not be ahead of Kylian Mbappé in the starting lineup, and young Endrick on the bench represents strong competition. Garcia could end up like Arda Guler last season, playing very little or not at all.
This article was originally published on Portal Futbol.
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