Several Premier League sides, including Manchester United, are on alert after Real Madrid surprisingly sacked Xabi Alonso on Monday.
Alonso departs the Santiago Bernabeu lower than 24 hours after Real lost the Spanish Super Cup final 3-2 to Barcelona.
He only replaced Carlo Ancelotti as head coach seven months ago and leaves with Los Blancos second within the La Liga table, just 4 points behind their El Clasico rivals.
The legendary Spain midfielder enjoyed a superb start upon his return to Madrid however the team’s form dipped over the winter, winning seven of the last 14 games across all competitions.
More pressingly, the 44-year-old had a tense relationship with several key players including Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior, with the latter unwilling to commit his future to Real while Alonso was within the dugout.
‘Real Madrid CF proclaims that, by mutual agreement between the club and Xabi Alonso, it has been decided to finish his time as first team coach,’ a club statement read on Monday evening.
‘Xabi Alonso will at all times have the love and admiration of all Madrid fans because he’s a Real Madrid legend and has at all times represented the values of our club. Real Madrid will at all times be his home.
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‘Our club thanks Xabi Alonso and his entire technical team for his or her work and dedication during this time, and needs them the most effective of luck on this latest stage of their lives.’
Lower than an hour later, Real announced that Alvaro Arbeloa, the club’s reserve team manager, can be the brand new first-team head coach, but it surely is just not clear if that is on a everlasting basis or simply till the top of the season.
While little doubt painful, Alonso’s repute has not diminished, with the previous Liverpool, Real and Bayern Munich midfielder highly-regarded across Europe.
In 2023/24, he guided Bayer Leverkusen to an unbeaten league and cup double, losing just one among their 53 games that season, namely the Europa League final.
He was strongly linked with replacing Jurgen Klopp at Anfield before they appointed Arne Slot and can little doubt be the favourite for the Liverpool job if the Dutchman were to go away anytime soon.
The Times report that Manchester City could also have a look at Alonso as a alternative for Pep Guardiola when he departs the Etihad. The Spaniard played under Guardiola during his time in Munich.
And it is alleged that despite his strong connection to arch-rivals Liverpool, Alonso will likely be of interest to Manchester United as they appear for a everlasting alternative for Ruben Amorim.
Michael Carrick has reportedly agreed to take the reins at Old Trafford after Amorim was sacked last week and Darren Fletcher did not win his two matches as interim boss.
But the previous United midfielder is simply expected to sign on until the summer, with the Red Devils taking a look at a wide selection of candidates for the beginning of next season.
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