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Manchester City and Real Madrid are competing for the signature of Bayer Leverkusen head coach Xabi Alonso, according to Sky Germany reporter Patrick Berger.
The journalist claims that the two teams have “discussed” the possibility of hiring the 42-year-old as a possible replacement for their respective coaches.
Pep Guardiola could leave the Etihad at the end of the season if he opts against signing a new contract, while Carlo Ancelotti has been tipped to depart the Bernabeu if Real don’t win the league title.
At the moment, it appears that City and the Spanish giants have simply sounded out Alonso about the potential appointment.
Leverkusen are resigned to losing their manager
Berger says that the Bundesliga champions are “already looking for a successor” to Alonso, despite the fact that the Spaniard’s current deal expires at the end of the 2025/26 season. He reportedly rejected Liverpool to sign the extension earlier this year
However, it is now believed that Leverkusen are considering Stuttgart head coach Sebastian Hoeness and current Germany assistant manager Sandro Wagner as “candidates” to replace Alonso.
Is there still a chance that Guardiola will stay at City?
Another reliable journalist, The Athletic‘s David Ornstein, has revealed in recent days that there is some hope that the 53-year-old will remain with City. Speaking to NBC Sports, he said:
“I made some checks and it was abundantly clear to me that it was more likely Pep Guardiola will extend at Manchester City for one year than anything else, including the England job.”
“Now, he always tends to leave his decision quite late. I broke the news in November 2022, on the 22nd, that he would be signing his last contract so that was approaching his final six months… Perhaps we haven’t seen the end of Pep Guardiola at Manchester City just yet.”
Find out who is in Manchester City’s first-team squad for the 2024/2025 season here
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