Earlier this month, Xabi Alonso announced he would not be leaving Bayer Leverkusen this summer, despite strong interest from Liverpool and Bayern Munich in his services.
The Basque coach is one of the most in-demand coaches in the world, having worked wonders with the future Bundesliga champions. Alonso's announcement opened the door to a possible move to Real Madrid, which could happen as early as 2025.
During the first half of the season, the 42-year-old was tipped to replace Carlo Ancelotti this summer, before the Italian signed a two-year contract extension in December. For Ze Roberto, who played for Real Madrid and Leverkusen during his career, it is inevitable that Alonso will take the reins of the Blancos, according to Diario AS.
An inevitable transfer
“He is destined to do this. His way of thinking about football and the way his teams play makes him the type of coach that every president wants for his club. Xabi is young, accessible and has a modern philosophy. He’s the coach of the future.” Roberto was surprised by Alonso's decision to stay at Leverkusen next season, even though he expects him to leave soon.
“Yes (I was surprised), especially because of how many big teams wanted him. We were talking about Bayern, Liverpool and even Real Madrid. Honestly, I think everything that's happening is surprising, even to Xabi himself. He makes history and knows that the players and management support him, which was decisive for him to stay at Leverkusen. However, I am convinced that he will soon want to take the next step in his career on the bench. »
