La Liga champions Real Madrid have reportedly held talks with the representatives of 43-year-old Spanish tactician Xabi Alonso to replace Carlo Ancelotti in the future.
According to a report by Mario Cortegana of The Athletic, Xabi Alonso is the subject of interest from Real Madrid. The reigning La Liga champions are scouring the market for a manager amid uncertainties surrounding Carlo Ancelotti’s future and have set their sights on the Bayer Leverkusen boss. The Merengues have held talks with the representatives of the highly-rated 43-year-old tactician.
The rise and rise of Xabi Alonso, the manager
Xabi Alonso has established himself as one of the best young managers in the world in the last few years. The Spaniard was among the finest players of his generation, enjoying trophy-laden spells with Liverpool, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich. He also represented Spain and won the UEFA European Championships and the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
The 43-year-old called time on his professional career in 2017 and immediately entered the coaching sphere. Alonso initially cut his teeth at Real Sociedad and assumed charge of the Basque club’s reserve side before taking over at Bayer Leverkusen in October 2022.
The Spanish tactician has had a transformative effect at Bayer Leverkusen, guiding Die Werkself to the Bundesliga title and the DFB Pokal in his first full season with the German club while finishing as the runners-up in the UEFA Europa League. While they have not been as top-notch this term, they remain in the Bundesliga title race and won the DFL Supercup when the campaign began.
What next?
Xabi Alonso’s progress has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of several high-profile clubs across Europe, including Manchester City. However, Real Madrid will aim to beat the competition to the Bayer Leverkusen manager’s signature when they part ways with Carlo Ancelotti.
The Italian tactician has over 12 months left on his contract with Real Madrid. However, the reigning La Liga champions do not want to fall behind the competition and have thus held talks with Alonso’s representatives this season. Interestingly, Ancelotti is aware of the discussions with the Spaniard, and winning the Champions League or La Liga could secure Ancelotti’s short-term future.
Meanwhile, widespread reports have claimed that the Merengues are the front-runners to land the highly-rated 43-year-old Spanish tactician. It will be interesting to see when Real Madrid will launch the offensive to secure Alonso’s services.