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Real Madrid have reportedly opened talks with Xabi Alonso's advisor as they hunt for Carlo Ancelotti's replacement. The Spanish giants are looking to lure their former player as the new manager this summer, as per Sky Sports.
Los Blancos have identified Alonso and are now holding talks with his advisor, Inaki Ibanez, over a move to Santiago Bernabeu. The Spaniard, who currently manages Bayer Leverkusen, was quizzed by the media about his future this week. He said:
"It's not a good time to discuss the future. We're at a very important moment in the season. I don't want to talk about speculation and rumours. [I understand] that this is happening, but what's more important to me is what's happening right now."
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Ancelotti is having a tough season, as the club have been knocked out of the UEFA Champions League. They face Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final later this month (April 26) and are four points behind the Catalan side in the LaLiga race, with seven matches to go.
Real Madrid legend backs Xabi Alonso to replace Carlo Ancelotti
Former player Fernando Morientes spoke to BET365 earlier this week and opined that Xabi Alonso was the perfect replacement for Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid. He added that the Spaniard had done well to go about in the right route with his managerial career. Morientes said (via TribalFootball):
"I have enormous affection for Xabi Alonso because he's been my teammate and a personal friend. I have enormous respect for him as a coach because I think what he's achieved isn't easy, and the steps he's taken have been very accurate and doing exactly what you should do."
“First, start with the youth teams, develop, take a little further step forward, and then move on to professional football. He's accomplished all those steps and done very well. What he did last year at Leverkusen isn't easy. He’s an option for Real Madrid. For me, the option I like most, obviously, is at home. You don't need to spend anything at all. You're more than ready. He's a leader and he’s out of the ordinary. I think he'd be a perfect fit on the Real Madrid bench," he added.
Alonso was linked with Los Blancos, Liverpool, and Bayern Munich last summer, but he chose to stay at Bayer Leverkusen. They won the Bundesliga title, and the manager believed it was ideal to stay for another season and build on it.
