What Can Bayern Munich Realistically Expect from Xabi Alonso This Season?

When Xabi Alonso was announced as a last-minute signing at Bayern Munich, fan response was perhaps surprisingly muted. The Spaniard came as a two-time European Champion, a World Cup winner and, most recently, a Champions League winner. His signing was, however, overshadowed by the fact that former fan favorite Toni Kroos had gone the other way earlier in the summer, departing for Alonso's now former club, Real Madrid.

Although they play similar roles on the pitch, the aging Alonso cannot replace Kroos, who at 24 is entering his prime years. And the fact that more than six full weeks passed between the transfers suggests they are unrelated.

Alonso's move happened very suddenly; hardly a day passed between the initial rumor and the confirmed deal. It also came just days before Matthias Sammer revealed to Kicker (h/t Goal.com) that it was "impossible" to estimate when Thiago Alcantara would be able to return to action following a knee injury that has kept him off the pitch since March. It also came during a stint in which Bastian Schweinsteiger has been suffering from patellar tendinitis, an injury that is not treated surgically and can become chronic if players are not treated with extra care.

It was most likely with Thiago and Schweinsteiger's injury concerns in mind that Bayern signed Alonso. The newcomer was given a two-year contract that will see him remain in Munich until youngsters Pierre Hojbjerg and Gianluca Gaudino are nearly 21 and 20, respectively. By that time, it will be much clearer as to where those among the younger generation stand with regard to their long-term future.

In the meantime, Alonso can play a key, multifaceted role in the Bayern team. The most obvious is that of a stopgap solution in the Bayern midfield while Thiago and Schweinsteiger recovery form and fitness. The veteran's resume is immensely impressive, and he's shown in the early stages of the current campaign that he still has much to offer. Kicker's aggregate player ratings place him tied with Jerome Boateng as Bayern's second-best player of the season thus far and tied for 12th in the Bundesliga overall.

It won't be until after the upcoming international break that either among Bayern's injured midfield duo can return to action, and may not be until after the winter break that they are playing at 100 percent. Accordingly, having such an experienced and top-drawer player like Alonso in the squad is vitally important to Bayern avoiding potentially irreparable damage to their title ambitions.

It would be a mistake, however, to assume that Alonso will be able to regularly play on the same level as he has in previous years. The veteran will turn 33 years of age in November and was already in the midst of being phased out of the Real team last season when, per Transfermarkt, he played 3152 minutes in all competitions (he'd averaged 4170 minutes in the three seasons prior). The signing of Kroos was the coup de grace on his career at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Much like Andrea Pirlo and Xavi in recent years, the never-great-defensively Alonso will in all likelihood become decreasingly effective in breaking up counterattacks and will become less mobile. He'll need at least one runner beside him to maintain balance in midfield. On the regular, the less convincing areas of his game won't be visible, although he predictably will have the occasional off-game if he plays every week. This will change as other options become fitter, and a rotation involving Schweinsteiger and Alonso could be just the ticket to prolonging the careers of both players and ensuring a fresh option in midfield every game.

In bigger Champions League matches against opponents that can press well, Alonso may be found lacking. Thus was the case against the likes of Kroos and Schweinsteiger at Bayern as well as Ilkay Gundogan and Sven Bender at Dortmund in 2011-12 and 2012-13, respectively. Given that Alonso has grown older still since then, his weaknesses may be further emphasized.

Beyond his flawless distribution and immense confidence on the ball—he recorded a Bundesliga record 204 touches against Koln—Alonso will offer leadership and mentoring off the pitch; if there is any area where he is still superior to Kroos, it's in his influence on his teammates. Whereas the recently-departed midfielder is the type of character to keep level emotions in good times and in bad and is still too young to be among the club's leaders like Schweinsteiger, Philipp Lahm and even Manuel Neuer, Alonso is the third-most senior member of the Bayern squad behind Tom Starke and Claudio Pizarro. And he's also their most decorated international champion.

Alonso has won nearly every competition he could and his skill is rivaled by few. There's a lot that Hojbjerg and Gaudino can learn from him; having the Spaniard and Schweinsteiger as mentors will give the youngsters a range of influences on their still-developing style. Even if Alonso's quality dips sharply in the next two seasons, he'll still be able to influence Bayern's rising stars. Make no mistake: Hojbjerg and Gaudino will become better players having had the former Liverpool and Real man to influence them.

It's undeniable that in Alonso, Bayern didn't sign the same player who was universally regarded as world-class for much of the last decade. But they did bring in a proven star who has been and will continue to be able to deliver on the regular if used in the right way. And he'll be a great influence on the club's rising talents. He may not be Kroos, but Alonso still has plenty left to offer Bayern on and off the pitch.

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