Florentino selects his favourite to replace Ancelotti as Real Madrid manager

Despite the CBF denying that Carlo Ancelotti is set to take over as the new head coach of the Brazilian national team, rumours have persisted about whether the Italian will take the job at the end of the season.

Ancelotti has had a successful second spell in charge at the Santiago Bernabeu, and won his fifth trophy of the stint on Saturday against Al Hilal in the Club World Cup final.

However, it could be his final season at the club, and Defensa Central report that president Florentino Perez is already planning for the possibility of Ancelotti leaving. They state that Perez has already picked out a preferred candidate for the job.

The man that Perez regards as his favourite to take the reins at Real Madrid is former Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain boss Mauricio Pochettino. The Argentine has been out of work since leaving the French champions at the end of last season, and he would surely welcome the challenge of taking over at the world champions.

It remains to be seen whether Ancelotti will indeed depart Real Madrid, but at least contingency plans appear to be in place should that happen.