With Carlo Ancelotti seemingly on the verge of leaving, Real Madrid have reportedly received a response from his mooted successor, Xabi Alonso, after offering him the post.
Links between the Spanish tactician and Los Blancos have been ongoing since last season. However, when Ancelotti led the club to domestic and continental success last term—coupled with the fact that Alonso extended his contract with Bayer Leverkusen after winning the Bundesliga without suffering defeat—Real’s hierarchy saw no need for change.
That is seemingly no longer the case. Despite the arrival of long-term target Kylian Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain, Real have faltered under the iconic Italian in both LaLiga and the UEFA Champions League, with the defeat to Arsenal in the latter competition appearing to be the moment both parties agreed to go their separate ways at the end of the season.
With Ancelotti rumoured to be on the cusp of signing for the Brazilian national team, Los Merengues have already made contingency plans of their own, revisiting their interest in Alonso. According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the Tolosa native has reached a verbal agreement to become the club’s new head coach.
Xabi Alonso has since announced his exit from Bayer Leverkusen at the end of the current campaign which opens the door to a potential switch to Los Blancos.
The 43-year-old took his first steps into coaching in the Spanish capital with his former side, serving as a youth coach with the record European champions. After a brief stint in charge of another of his former clubs, Real Sociedad B, Alonso took his first senior managerial role at Leverkusen.
Now, he is poised to return to the Santiago Bernabéu and, according to Marca, will sign a three-year contract as he looks to help his former club return to the summit of Spanish and European football.
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