All over for Carlo Ancelotti? Xabi Alonso to join Real Madrid in summer of 2025

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has come under significant pressure of late, and while Los Blancos look set to maintain him for the rest of the season, there are doubts about his continuity beyond that date. It has recently emerged that Xabi Alonso, the favourite to succeed the Italian, will leave Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2025 after 2.5 years.

As per German insider Florian Plettenberg, Bayer Leverkusen believe that Alonso will join Real Madrid next summer. It is a potential move that would also aid any pursuit of Florian Wirtz to the Santiago Bernabeu. On Friday morning, he gave an update suggesting that Alonso’s move to Real Madrid is on, and noting on his post a check mark next to Real Madrid and Alonso.

This will come as no great surprise for anyone reading the tea leaves in Madrid, and lately it has seemed like a question of when, not if. Alonso not only spent time at Real Madrid as a player, but also coached their under-19 side. Ancelotti was drafted in at the last minute in 2021, and has always depended on results – as does any Real Madrid manager. However his stock is much lower than that of Alonso currently.