A promising young coach currently leading the Bundesliga has garnered widespread attention, and it’s no surprise given his background as a former Real Madrid player and a World Cup champion with the Spanish national team. Xabi Alonso is gaining considerable recognition in the soccer world.
One club that has been strongly linked with him is a potential return to the Spanish capital with Real Madrid. The contract of their current coach, Carlo Ancelotti, is set to expire at the end of the season, and there have been speculations about him possibly taking over the Brazilian national team. Ancelotti himself has been asked for his thoughts on the possibility of Alonso succeeding him.
“I had Alonso as a player, and he had an extensive football knowledge,” Ancelotti remarked. “He’s been doing a commendable job at Bayer Leverkusen, showcasing his coaching abilities.”
Alonso, the 41-year-old coach, joined the German team in October 2022, signing a contract extension until 2024. In his first season, he guided the team to the Europa League semi-finals and currently has them at the top of the German league. He has even declined an approach from Tottenham to make a move to the Premier League.
Now, reports from Germany suggest that Alonso’s existing contract, which he extended until 2026 earlier this year, includes a release clause that would enable him to leave if one of his former clubs – Liverpool, Real Madrid, or Bayern Munich – came calling.
His attractive, possession-oriented style of attacking football has only strengthened calls from many in Spain for Florentino Pérez to consider him as a potential successor to Ancelotti in the summer of 2024.
It’s worth noting that Alonso also has coaching experience in Spain. He was once associated with Real Madrid, where he began his coaching career by leading the under-14 side to a league title in his sole season before returning to his hometown club, Real Sociedad.