Real Madrid has begun searching for a new coach to replace Xabi Alonso, should the Spaniard be dismissed following a defeat against Manchester City next Wednesday in the Champions League.
The club’s president, Florentino Pérez, is as angry with Alonso as he is with the players after the recent loss to Celta Vigo, and now believes a change is imperative unless results improve.
According to various reports in the Spanish media, Pérez dreams of appointing Jürgen Klopp to succeed Alonso, but the matter is highly complicated, and the newspapers have confirmed it.
Klopp is under contract with Red Bull, where he serves as CEO of the football companies. Furthermore, the German coach himself does not want to return to coaching at the moment and enjoys his administrative role, which does not require him to engage in the demanding daily work of a manager.
Another name that has emerged is Zinedine Zidane. It has been suggested that Pérez is willing to allow him to combine his roles as Real Madrid coach with those of the French national team. However, Marca confirms that a third stint for Zidane has never even been considered by the Real Madrid board.
The most likely and probable candidate to succeed Alonso, should he be dismissed, remains Real Madrid Castilla coach Álvaro Arbeloa.
Arbeloa has already established himself as a distinguished coach with Real Madrid’s youth teams, demonstrating considerable tactical flexibility that has caught the eye of Pérez and his management, making him a perennial contender for the Real Madrid job.
It’s also worth noting that Real Madrid legend Raúl González and current sporting director Santiago Solari are also being considered as interim options to salvage the current season while the club seeks a permanent replacement for next season.
