Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has reportedly identified his ideal coach to replace current boss Carlo Ancelotti.
There is increasing speculation that Ancelotti's time at the Santiago Bernabeu is nearing a premature conclusion amid an underwhelming LaLiga title defence this season.
The side's recent 2-1 defeat at the hands of arch-rivals FC Barcelona in the ElClasico last weekend has piled more pressure on the Italian coach, as the Blaugrana have a comfortable 12-point cushion at the top of the league standing.
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However, Ancelotti remains a wanted man despite his struggles domestically, with some of the Brazil national team players having already openly backed him to be put in charge of the South American giants following Tite's departure after the 2022 FIFA World Cup in December.
It has since been reported that the Madrid team are weighing up potential managers ahead of 2023/24, with the likes of Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, and club legend Raul mooted for the role, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.
However, contrary to the aforementioned options, Spanish outlet SPORT claims Perez has earmarked Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso, who represented the club as a player between 2009 and 2014, as his first choice instead.
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The 41-year-old was appointed by the German outfit in October 2022 following a three-year stint with Real Sociedad's B team and has gone on to impress in the Bundesliga, where he has won 10 and drawn two of his 17 league matches in charge.
While he is unfamiliar with managing in topflight football in Spain, the tactician coached in Real's youth academy between 2018 and 2019.
As such, Los Blancos are quite familiar with employing managers who previously took charge of their youth, with Vicente del Bosque and Zinedine Zidane being prime examples of this transition.
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