Former Real Madrid midfielder and current Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso is the firm favourite to return to Spain as the next Real Madrid manager. With current Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotii leaving at the end of this season to take over as the Brazilian International coach, the Real Madrid Hierarchy have been impressed with Alonso’s short career as a manager and are willing to take a chance on the young coach.

According to Madrid Xtra on Twitter and Radio Marca, Alonso has been touted as the clear favourite by the hierarchy in Madrid and they feel he is exactly what the club will need when Ancelotti leaves. Fabrizio Romano has also said that Xabi Alonso will indeed be a candidate when Ancelotti leaves and he will be contacted in the coming months. Another candidate that has been linked with the job recently is Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi, who in the space of 12 months since arriving at Brighton and replacing Graham Potter has transformed the team into a European team who are able to go head to head with any team in the Premier League. While De Zerbi is a name on the list, he is seen as more of a backup plan if Xabi Alonso decides not to join Real Madrid.

Carlo Ancelotti said in a press conference yesterday that Xavi Alonso has the means necessary to become a top-level coach and he “hopes one day that Xabi can coach at Real Madrid”.