Real Madrid will reportedly make an attempt to appoint Xabi Alonso as their new head coach next summer despite Carlo Ancelotti's ongoing success at the helm.
Ancelotti, 65, has a contract at Bernabeu until June 2026, and the Italian has just overseen another excellent campaign, which ended with Real Madrid winning La Liga and the Champions League.
However, Real Madrid are planning for the future, and Alonso is believed to be the club's number one choice to replace Ancelotti.
According to Bild, rather than wait until the summer of 2026, Los Blancos want to ascertain whether they could potentially bring Alonso in as their new head coach at the end of the current campaign.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is believed to be a huge admirer of Alonso, who was heavily linked with the Liverpool job earlier this year before deciding to remain at Bayer Leverkusen.
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Real Madrid 'will attempt' to bring in Alonso next summer
Alonso led his German club to a Bundesliga and German Cup double last season, while Leverkusen were also in the Europa League final, losing 3-0 to Atalanta BC.
The 42-year-old's contract is also due to expire in June 2026, but he has only committed to remaining with his Bundesliga club for the rest of this season.
The presence of a certain Bayern Munich will make it incredibly difficult for Leverkusen to make it back-to-back Bundesliga titles, and the champions have already lost in the league this term, going down 3-2 to RB Leipzig before the international break.
The Black and Reds have been impressive in their last two matches, though, beating Hoffenheim 4-1 in the league last weekend before recording a 4-0 success over Feyenoord in the Champions League on Thursday.
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How will the situation play out?
Removing Ancelotti would be incredibly difficult if Real Madrid have another successful season, with the capital side once again the favourites in La Liga and the Champions League.
However, at some stage, Ancelotti will need to be replaced, and next summer could be the perfect chance for the two to part ways.
Leverkusen will find it tough to match what they achieved last season, and it does seem likely that Alonso will be on the move next year, with Real Madrid thought to be his number one choice.
The Spaniard turned out for Los Blancos as a player between 2009 and 2014, winning one La Liga title, two Copa del Rey trophies and the Champions League.
The former midfielder's experience at Bernabeu would be a huge advantage if he arrived as head coach, and it would not be a surprise to see him in the Real Madrid dug-out at the start of next term.
Matt Law
