Real Madrid will reportedly look to appoint Bayer Leverkusen head coach Xabi Alonso as their new manager in 2024.
Carlo Ancelotti has remained at the helm at the Santiago Bernabeu, with faith being kept in the Italian despite failing to win either La Liga or the Champions League in 2023-24.
The Spanish giants have made a strong start to the new campaign with five successive victories being posted in the top flight before Sunday's defeat at Atletico Madrid.
Nevertheless, regardless of how Los Blancos perform throughout this season, the expectation is that Ancelotti will move onto pastures new at the end of his contract.
Ancelotti has been heavily linked with the Brazil job for some time, with the 64-year-old having never managed a national team throughout his illustrious career.
© Reuters
That has left Real president Florentino Perez to contemplate an eventual replacement, theoretically having an entire season to consider his options.
However, according to Radio Marca, the decision has already been made to try to secure the services of Alonso for 2024-25 onwards.
In his near 12 months in charge, the 41-year-old has turned Leverkusen into title challengers in the Bundesliga with 16 points having been accumulated from their opening six matches this season.
The Spaniard also instigated a run to the Europa League semi-finals in 2022-23 and the German outfit are expected to push hard for the same trophy this time around.
© Reuters
Alonso has recorded a total of 23 wins, 11 draws and just 10 defeats from his 44 matches in charge, and that has seemingly proven to be enough to convince Perez and fellow Real officials that their former midfielder is the right man to succeed Ancelotti.
Although Alonso holds a long contract at Leverkusen, he may feel that an opportunity to return to return to Real is too good to turn down, even at this stage of his managerial career.
Between 2009 and 2015, Alonso spent six years at Real, making 236 appearances and winning a La Liga and Champions League crown, while he also learned his trade back in Spain.
Three years were spent with Real Sociedad's 'B' side, recording 40 wins from 98 games, before he was ultimately handed his chance at a higher level by Leverkusen.
Darren Plant
