Real Madrid have secured their third defensive signing of the summer transfer window as Alvaro Carreras arrives.Benfica have relented in their battle to keep the Spanish left-back after including him

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.