Xabi Alonso Slams Manchester United Over Failed Rodrygo Pursuit
The transfer window has taken a fiery twist after Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso publicly tore into Manchester United for their handling of the Rodrygo Goes negotiations.
The Spaniard, who rarely shies away from speaking his mind, delivered remarks that have quickly gone viral — remarks that United fans are finding both shocking and humiliating.
In a press briefing that has since dominated headlines, Alonso stated bluntly:
“It is from this transfer that I know too well that Manchester United is indeed a small club. They were unable to meet up with what we demanded from them for Rodrygo’s deal, and yet they want to qualify for the Champions League.
If they are serious about competing at the highest level, they must start acting like a big club.”
Those words have cut deep across Old Trafford. For one of Europe’s brightest managers to brand United a “small club” is nothing short of devastating — a stinging insult that throws into sharp focus the ongoing doubts about the direction of the Red Devils under Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s new leadership.
The saga around Rodrygo has been brewing for weeks. With heavy financial backing, United were tipped to make the Real Madrid forward a marquee signing for Ruben Amorim’s new era.
The Brazilian, admired for his lightning pace, technical brilliance, and ability to produce goals in crucial moments, was seen as the ideal figure to rejuvenate United’s faltering frontline. His arrival was meant to mark a fresh chapter for a team desperate to return to the European elite.
But according to Alonso, the negotiations collapsed not because of player preference, but because Manchester United hesitated when it came to meeting the required financial package.
The implication is damning: despite their resources, the club still lacks decisiveness in the market. For a side claiming to rebuild with ambition, missing out on Rodrygo feels like a self-inflicted wound.
The fallout among fans has been immediate. Social media is awash with frustration, anger, and disbelief. Many supporters had already pinned their hopes on Rodrygo as the spark United needed to finally compete toe-to-toe with rivals like Manchester City and Arsenal.
Instead, they are left to digest Alonso’s biting words — a reminder that the rest of Europe is beginning to question whether United still have the pull and prestige they once commanded.
What makes Alonso’s comments particularly brutal is not just the criticism of United’s transfer handling, but the challenge they pose.
By urging the club to “act like a big club,” Alonso has thrown down the gauntlet: if United are truly serious about returning to the top, they cannot afford to hesitate or miss out on world-class players like Rodrygo.
For United fans, the message is painfully clear. The club’s hierarchy must either prove their ambition in this transfer window or risk further embarrassment on and off the pitch.
This is more than just a missed signing — it is a test of identity, pride, and ambition.
