Real Madrid have already lined up Carlo Ancelotti's replacement at the Bernabeu next season, with the Italian manager ready to leave at the conclusion of the 2025 Club World Cup.
Despite signing a contract extension in December 2023 that would keep him at Real Madrid until the summer of 2026, Spanish outlet Onda Cero is reporting that Ancelotti is ready to end his time at the club a year early.
That would bring an end to his second spell in charge of Los Blancos, having previously managed at the club between 2013 and 2015. Since returning in 2021, Ancelotti has won two La Liga titles, two Champions Leagues and a Copa del Rey, but he's now ready to leave to pursue coaching opportunities elsewhere.
Real Madrid to replace Carlo Ancelotti with Xabi Alonso
The 65-year-old isn't set for retirement just yet, with Ancelotti keen on winning trophies in other countries, or with a national team.
In order to make the transition as seamless as possible, Real Madrid have already started working on a list of replacements for Ancelotti, with there a clear frontrunner to take over.
According to Onda Cero, Xabi Alonso is the favourite to become the next Real Madrid manager, with the Spaniard having impressed hugely during his time at Bayer Leverkusen.
Alonso's side lost just one game in the entirety of 2023/24, in the Europa League final against Atalanta, but still finished with a league and cup double unbeaten. They're challenging for the Bundesliga once again this season, and are going strongly in the Champions League, too.
The report adds that Alonso's representatives aren't preparing too early for the move, however, understanding that there's still a lot of time left in the season where anything can happen.
Alonso did play for Real Madrid between 2009 and 2014 as a player, making over 200 appearances and lifting multiple trophies. He would follow Zinedine Zidane and Bernd Schuster in returning to Los Blancos as manager having previously played for them, if he does indeed replace Ancelotti.
In FourFourTwo's view, Alonso seems like the obvious replacement for Ancelotti, especially considering he seemingly waited another season at Leverkusen to assess his options rather than take over at Liverpool, for example. Ancelotti, meanwhile, has won everything he has needed to at Real Madrid, and might just want a new challenge to test himself again.
