Brazil rejoices as Real Madrid set date for Carlo Ancelotti exit | OneFootball

Carlo Ancelotti has reached an agreement with Real Madrid over the terms of his departure, with the Italian expected to take on the role of Brazil manager this summer.

Ancelotti has flirted with the possibility of taking the Brazil job for some time, and Madrid's early Champions League exit combined with what many would regard as an underwhelming La Liga season after signing Kylian Mbappe rendered a second departure from the Santiago Bernabeu inevitable.

However, there have been complications regarding the details of his exit, details, as reported by The Athletic, which have now been resolved. The primary issue surrounded the covering of Ancelotti's salary for the remainder of his contract, which runs until 2026.

Madrid are now expected to imminently announce the 65-year-old's departure, although official confirmation will likely arrive after this weekend's significant Clasico against league leaders Barcelona. Los Blancos must surely win in Catalonia to keep their faint title hopes alive, with Barca boasting a four-point lead with four games to play.

Brazil had set a 20 May deadline to hire a new coach, thrusting Ancelotti's appointment into doubt as talks with Madrid over the terms of his exit stalled. However, the Italian's verbal agreement with Madrid should allow him to be in charge of Brazil for their 2026 World Cup qualifiers in June against Ecuador and Paraguay. The Italian is expected to sign a contract with Brazil's football federation which will place him in charge until the end of the World Cup cycle next year.

With Ancelotti leaving at the season's conclusion, Madrid must act relatively swiftly in their bid to hire a successor given that the expended Club World Cup gets underway in mid-June. Xabi Alonso is the current favourite to take the job after he guided Bayer Leverkusen through a historic 2023/24 season, but Madrid may also consider current director of football Santiago Solari as an interim.