Spanish media reports indicate that Carlo Ancelotti’s continued presence as Real Madrid coach next season is not guaranteed, but surprisingly, the signing of Xabi Alonso is also not guaranteed.
Recently, all indications suggested that Alonso would continue with Bayer Leverkusen until 2026, after he began looking for a new home in the city. His expected replacement, Sebastian Hoeness, also renewed his contract with Stuttgart until 2028.
According to recent reports, Ancelotti must win at least one La Liga and Champions League title to continue with Real Madrid, otherwise he will be sacked even if Alonso is unavailable.
The surprise comes as Florentino Pérez’s administration is considering bringing back Zinedine Zidane as Real Madrid coach for a third term when Ancelotti leaves.
The French coach has recently been linked with coaching the French national team, starting after the 2026 World Cup, succeeding Didier Deschamps. It is said that an agreement between him and the French Football Federation is almost finalized.
With Real Madrid’s interest in the role, the situation may change one way or another, but what is certain for now is that signing Zizou will not be as easy as it was in his previous two terms.
It’s worth noting that Real Madrid is also interested in current Bournemouth coach Andoni Iraola, following his tangible successes in the Premier League and previously with Rayo Vallecano in La Liga.
