Many aspects of Leverkusen have changed under Xabi Alonso. Some of the main changes have been the players and the way the squad has been managed. Therefore, in order to understand the success Leverkusen have enjoyed this season, it's important to analyze what happened to the squad before and after Xabi Alonso's arrival.
Players in the Squad
One of the main changes made after the arrival of Xabi Alonso was the management of the players in the squad. To make this clearer, we analyze the players in the team over the last 3 seasons.
Season 2021/2022
In 21/22, the team had a vast squad, with a total of 35 players and an average age of close to 24.5 years. In addition, the average value per player was around 13 million euros. In that season, the most estimated sector of the field on the market was the attack, with a value of approximately 170.70 million euros.
In 2021, Leverkusen hired a new coach, Swiss Gerardo Seone, who played his first game on August 7, 2021. Under the Swiss, Leverkusen played mostly in a 4-2-3-1 formation, very different from what happens today with Xabi Alonso. It's worth remembering that Xabi's style of play has already been discussed here on our blog!
It was in the 2021 season that the current seventh most valuable player in the world gained more prominence, being a player used frequently by Gerardo. In addition to the Leverkusen revelation, other players began to gain more prominence in the team too, such as striker Shick, who was the team's top scorer that season.
Season 2022/2023
In 22/23, the squad didn't change much; it remained substantially the same as in 21/22. However, it was during this season that Xabi Alonso took over the team. To be more precise, Xabi took charge of Leverkusen on matchday 9 of the Bundesliga and matchday 4 of the Champions League.
Despite the few changes to the squad in general, Leverkusen sold some defenders and signed more midfielders. As a result, the most valued sector in 2022 was the midfield, which was valued at more than 185 million euros at the time.
After these small changes, the squad still had 35 players in it, the same number as in the 21/22 season, with the average age dropping slightly to 24.2 years. The average value of each player remained similar compared to 21/22.
Season 2023/2024 (current season)
After the end of Xabi's first season at Leverkusen, the coach appeared to have more autonomy in assembling the squad for 23/24. The number of players has dropped considerably compared to previous years, and Leverkusen now have just 27 players, a reduction of 22%. At the moment, Leverkusen's average age is 24.8 and the average value of each player is 22 million euros. In other words, the average age has changed very little, but the value per player has increased by almost 70% compared to the 22/23 season.
However, even with the considerable reduction in the squad, Leverkusen have moved much more on the market than in recent seasons. In addition, the total value of the current squad has increased by 31% compared to last season. It is therefore essential to analyze Leverkusen's signings this season and how the players have increased in value since Xabi Alonso's arrival.
Hiring
The main signings made after the arrival of Xabi Alonso were the transfer of midfielder Xhaka, who played for Arsenal, for 25 million euros; the arrival of striker Boniface, who played for Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium; the transfer of winger Grimaldo, who played for Benfica, who arrived for free; and the arrival of goalkeeper Kovar, who was at Manchester United, who cost around 5 million euros. The one-off signings were extremely important for the Leverkusen team, with the five main players in the German team being Wirtz, Palacios, Xhaka, Grimaldo, Kovar, and Boniface.
Despite the signings, the players who were already at the club have improved incredibly. To analyze the growth of players, their market value is a very interesting parameter. In the graph below, you can see the players who have risen the most in value since Xabi Alonso's arrival. It's important to note that Boniface, acquired this season by Leverkusen, already has a market value almost double what he was paid. Boniface and Grimaldo, the latter of whom was acquired for free, show how well the signings have been executed, making the most of the opportunities on the market.
In terms of player valuations alone, the balance was positive and exceeded 90 million euros. The estimated value of the total squad is almost 595 million euros, of which only 80 million were invested this year. It's worth remembering that in 2023 many players were sold, loaned, or released by Leverkusen, and the devaluation of the squad due to these losses totals 119 million. As such, in addition to the amount invested, Xabi Alonso's work has been fundamental in valuing the players. Xabi qualified the players already in the squad, and Leverkusen took advantage of the opportunities of a very competitive market.
Team Performance
Finally, it's interesting to compare the development of the team over the three seasons mentioned above. In 2021/2022 before Xabi Alonso, in 2022/2023 before and after the arrival of the Spanish coach, and the 2023/2024 season when Xabi had more autonomy in the formation of the squad.
Season 2021/2022
In the 21/22 season, Leverkusen performed well in terms of results. Despite an early exit from the Europa League, beaten by Atalanta in the last 16, they finished 3rd in the Bundesliga and therefore qualified for the Champions League the following season. One of the reasons for the squad remaining very similar in the 22/23 season is precisely the good performance in 21/22.
In 21/22, Leverkusen conceded 47 goals and scored 80, with a good offensive record, averaging 2.4 goals per game in the Bundesliga. In addition, the German team's main players this season were Wirtz, Shick, and Demirbay.
Season 2022/2023
The start of the 22/23 season was very different from what was imagined. With the squad maintained and, therefore, the project continuing, it was expected that the team would at least achieve a performance similar to that of the 21/22 season. However, Leverkusen got off to a terrible start and by the 9th matchday of the Bundesliga were in 15th place, close to the relegation zone. At the same time, on Matchday 3 of the Champions League, they were bottom of their group, which included Club Brugge, Porto, and Atlético de Madrid.
After poor results, Xabi Alonso was invited to take over the team on October 8, 2022. After the arrival of the new coach, Leverkusen finished 3rd in the Champions League group stage and qualified for the Europa League, only to fall to Roma in the semi-finals. At the end of the season, Leverkusen finished 6th in the Bundesliga and secured a place in the 2023/2024 Europa League.
Leverkusen's main players after Xabi Alonso took over were Wirtz, Demirbay, and Palácios. In other words, Leverkusen's highlights remained similar to the 2021 season, but Palácios was able to develop much more after the Spanish coach's arrival.
Season 2023/2024
This season, Leverkusen need no introduction. They've won their first Bundesliga title in history and without losing a single game. Still in the Bundesliga, they've scored a total of 89 goals and conceded just 24, an average of 2.6 goals per game. Leverkusen have also conquered an average of 62% of possession per match in the Bundesliga.
Apart from all the prominence the team had in the Bundesliga, Leverkusen is in the final of the Europa League and is considered by many to be the favorite to win the title. The final will be played between the German club and Atalanta.
As for Leverkusen's highlights this season, the best players were Grimaldo, Wirtz, Palacios, Xhaka, Kovar, Hofmann, and Boniface. What's important to note is that the players signed were highlights of the team during the season, which demonstrates a clear efficiency when it comes to using players.
Conclusion
Xabi Alonso's management has transformed Leverkusen into a highly competitive team, reflected by the unprecedented Bundesliga title win and the Europa League final. The reduction and qualification of the squad, with strategic signings and the valorization of the players already in the squad, significantly increased the team's market value. With an efficient style of play, Leverkusen not only improved their performance on the pitch, but also highlighted the ability of their players, such as Wirtz, Palacios, and new signings Xhaka, Grimaldo, Kovar, and Boniface, consolidating themselves as one of the strongest teams of the season.
Stay tuned to our social networks, as next week we'll be posting our final analysis of Xabi Alonso's brilliant season.
