Real Madrid monitoring former Liverpool hero as Ancelotti’s replacement

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has come under pressure recently as a result of Los Blancos‘ performances and should the La Liga giants decide to replace the Italian coach, a former Liverpool hero is being watched.

Despite winning the Spanish league and the Champions League last season, Ancelotti’s future has been cast into doubt recently, and reports this week have stated that should he fail to deliver the Club World Cup at the weekend, the Italian coach could face the sack.

Should that happen, Marca have reported that Xabi Alonso’s progress at Bayer Leverkusen is being monitored very closely by the La Liga giants, as the Los Blancos and Liverpool hero has been a candidate for the position of Real Madrid head coach since the beginning of his coaching career.

? Xabi Alonso’s progress at Bayer Leverkusen is being monitored very closely at Real Madrid!

He has been a candidate for the position of Real Madrid head coach since the beginning of his coaching career.

(Source: @marca) pic.twitter.com/zC6Pt0pm4p

— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) February 10, 2023

Alonso began his work as a coach with Real Madrid’s U-13 side, before moving on to Real Sociedad’s B team; the Spaniard took over at Leverkusen last autumn and has taken the German side from 17th in the Bundesliga table all the way up to their current standing of 10th – which has caught the eye of many big clubs.

Writing for GOAL, Liverpool journalist Neil Jones said that the Reds will also be keeping an eye on how the managerial career of Alonso progresses, as the former Liverpool hero could be a potential successor to Jurgen Klopp.

Jones wrote: “Liverpool, naturally, will have a close eye on his [Alonso] progress. Jurgen Klopp, of course, is still contracted until 2026, but the struggles of Steven Gerrard at Aston Villa mean his presumed successor is far from obvious. Alonso remains fondly remembered by Reds fans, and has nothing but good memories of his own from his five years on Merseyside.”