Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso has insisted that he has not spoken to anyone from Real Madrid despite recently spending time in Spain.
Leverkusen are six points behind first-placed Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga with just six matchweeks remaining, but Alonso could still end the season with silverware given his side are in the DFB-Pokal quarter-finals.
However, the cup could be the Spaniard's final chance to add to Die Schwarzroten's trophy cabinet considering he has often been linked with a switch to Real.
Speaking to Football Espana, Alonso claimed that he has not had contact with any club but did not get drawn into where his future could lie, saying: "I have not taken any decisions. It was a good break, we needed it. It was a different situation compared to last year.
"There was something to decide, and now there isn't. That's the difference. I was in Spain last week, yes, but I haven't spoken to anyone.
"There's no deadline. My thoughts are the same. I remain focused on this season, I've already said that the focus of our players and myself is on what we have. We're in a key phase. We don't want to speculate about anything beyond football."
Current Real boss Carlo Ancelotti has himself often been linked with a move away from Los Blancos to the Brazilian national team, and with Dorival Junior losing his job this week, speculation that he could leave Spain in the summer has intensified.
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Could Alonso build the next great Real team?
Alonso managed to end Bayern Munich's stranglehold on the Bundesliga title last term, preventing the Bavarians from winning the league for the first time since 2011-12.
Though Leverkusen has been his only job in management so far, his impressive achievements saw him linked with the position of head coach at former clubs Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
Given Arne Slot and Vincent Kompany were only appointed by Liverpool and Bayern in 2024 respectively, Real seems to be the most likely destination for Alonso of the three.
If the Leverkusen boss made the switch to Madrid, he would be arriving at a crucial transition point for the club given the team are set to add stars such as Trent Alexander-Arnold in the summer.
Additionally, Kylian Mbappe will be more settled in the Spanish capital, while young stars like Eduardo Camavinga will almost certainly be ready to make more of an impact on the first team.
Real have won two of the last three Champions League titles and have won three of the past five La Liga titles on offer, and it would not be surprising if they added further silverware this season.
By bringing Alonso in to succeed Ancelotti, Los Blancos could ensure long-term stability at the Bernabeu by appointing one of the world's best young managers to lead the next generation of Real stars.
Lewis Nolan
