Real Madrid is said to be already considering potential replacements for Carlo Ancelotti for the upcoming 2025-26 season.
Ancelotti recently turned down an offer from Brazil to extend his contract at the Bernabeu until 2026, a decision that was well received by everyone involved.
Despite losing the La Liga title last season, Los Blancos are currently in a strong position to reclaim it this season.
Real Madrid is currently eight points ahead of Barcelona, having only lost one of their 30 league matches so far, and they are also in the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
Although Ancelotti is not expected to leave his position at Real Madrid before the end of the 2024-25 season, president Florentino Perez is already considering the club’s next manager.
Real Madrid had been concerned about the possibility of missing out on appointing Xabi Alonso as their next manager due to strong interest from Liverpool and Bayern Munich.
Despite having played for all three teams during his career, Liverpool and Bayern are currently in search of replacements for Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel. However, Alonso recently made it clear that he will not be leaving Leverkusen at the end of the season, as he is committed to the great work he is doing at the BayArena.
Relevo reports that Real officials were thrilled with Alonso’s decision to stay in the Bundesliga for the foreseeable future. The report also suggests that Real now view themselves as a potential destination for Alonso once his time at Leverkusen comes to an end.
Alonso’s contract with Leverkusen is set to expire in 2026, similar to Ancelotti’s contract with Real Madrid. However, it is plausible to anticipate that the 42-year-old Alonso may consider a new challenge, assuming he remains in charge of the German side until the end of the upcoming season.
According to reports, Perez allegedly believes that Alonso is the ideal candidate to eventually succeed Ancelotti as the manager of Real Madrid.
If the opportunity arises in the summer of 2025, it is claimed that Perez would be tempted to replace Ancelotti with Alonso, should he become available.
Zinedine Zidane, a former manager of Real Madrid on two occasions, has also been mentioned as a potential option. However, this scenario is unlikely to change unless Zidane takes up another managerial role in the meantime.
While managers like Ruben Amorim and Roberto De Zerbi may realistically be considered for Real Madrid’s shortlist, it seems increasingly probable that both Sporting Lisbon and Brighton & Hove Albion will see their respective managers depart in the summer.