Alonso was born in Madrid and is the son and grandson of former Spain internationals. He was a youth and B-team player for Real Madrid, before being handed his one first team appearance there by Manuel Pellegrini in April 2010 as a late substitute in a win against Racing Santander.

That summer he joined Bolton Wanderers as a 19-year-old and was a team-mate of Gary Cahill for one-and-a-half years prior to the England international’s move to Chelsea.

Alonso stayed in the north-west for three seasons, two of those in the Premier League, and made 46 appearances, scoring five goals.

After half a season at Fiorentina, he was recruited on loan for the second half of the 2013/14 campaign by Sunderland manager Gustavo Poyet, who selected the Spaniard in the League Cup final against Manchester City. Alonso also played in the Sunderland win at Stamford Bridge which ended Jose Mourinho’s 77-game undefeated league run at our stadium. It was his volley that led to the visitors equalising that April day.

Alonso then returned to Fiorentina where he established himself as a regular in the team as a left-back, wing-back or in a back-three. He leaves La Viola with 85 appearances and five goals scored.