Xabi Alonso (foto: Getty Images)
Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro confirms a gentleman’s agreement with Xabi Alonso, hinting at a likely move to Real Madrid, possibly before the Club World Cup in June.
Xabi Alonso’s time at Bayer Leverkusen appears to be nearing its end, with the club’s CEO Fernando Carro offering the clearest sign yet that the highly-rated coach is on track to become the next manager of Real Madrid.
For months, Alonso has been widely considered the leading candidate to replace Carlo Ancelotti at the Santiago Bernabéu, with reports suggesting that he turned down multiple offers last summer in anticipation of succeeding his former club coach. With Ancelotti’s departure now seen as a question of when, not if, Spanish media have shifted focus to contractual details and timelines.
Speaking to the press, Carro acknowledged that while Alonso doesn’t have a release clause in his contract, there is a mutual understanding in place:
"Xabi Alonso doesn’t have a buyout clause, but we have a gentleman’s agreement. If he receives an offer from a club he once played for, we’ll sit down and find a solution. We won't stand in his way."
Carro further added: “Our relationship with Real Madrid is very good.”
These remarks have been interpreted as a green light for Alonso’s likely move to Madrid—possibly as early as June, with reports claiming that Real Madrid want him in charge for the FIFA Club World Cup, which kicks off on June 14.
The anticipation of Alonso’s appointment now seems more a matter of timing than speculation, especially as Madrid insiders focus on the formalities, rather than alternatives.