Real Madrid have willing replacement for Carlo Ancelotti in place for 2025 or 2026 | OneFootball

As recently as two months ago, it looked as if Real Madrid might be searching for a new manager during the season for the first time in six years. However Carlo Ancelotti has turned things around, and has Los Blancos top of the table – but that has not altered their plans for his position.

Ancelotti has a contract until 2026, and provided things go well in the second half of the season, he will be maintained for next season. If results had not improved in November – he was required to beat Girona or face the sack say Relevo – then Los Blancos had intended on replacing him with Santiago Solari until the end of the season. They would then have gone after Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso this summer.

However Alonso is still in the frame to replace Ancelotti. The same outlet report that Alonso is happy to wait until Ancelotti departs to take over. The Basque coach is happy at Leverkusen, and would also be seeing out his contract until 2026, when Los Blancos will come calling. He is in no rush to take over. If Ancelotti wins the Champions League or La Liga this season, he will see out his deal, and if not Alonso will take over.

After Alonso turned down offers from Liverpool and Bayern Munich to take over last summer, it seemed written that he would be pursuing the Real Madrid job at some point. Alonso has had success in both of his senior coaching jobs at Leverkusen and Real Sociedad B, but started off his career in coaching as the under-19 coach at Real Madrid.