Julen Lopetegui sack 'would cost Real Madrid £16m'

Julen Lopetegui is reportedly due a fee of £16m if he is sacked as manager of Real Madrid.

The European champions opted to bring in Lopetegui as Zinedine Zidane's replacement during the summer, but the Spaniard has endured a dismal start as boss of the La Liga giants.

Real have lost four of their last five fixtures in all competitions and are allegedly considering parting company with Lopetegui, but Sport reports that it would come at a cost.

The report claims that the 52-year-old would be entitled to receive his £5.3m-per-year wages in full, leaving Real having to contemplate whether his departure can be justified.

Santiago Solari and Antonio Conte have already been linked with a place in the dugout at the Bernabeu should the club's hierarchy decide to make a change.

Real currently sit in seventh place in the top-flight standings, four points adrift of Barcelona who they face at the weekend.