Real Madrid ready to pay €15m for Ancelotti replacement
Robin Bairner
- 13 Nov 2023 11:38 GMT
- 3 min read
Real Madrid continue to hunt for Carlo Ancelotti’s successor, with the Italian stepping down at the end of the season to take command of the Brazil international team when his contract expires.
Xabi Alonso is at the top of Los Blancos’ shortlist, with their former midfielder enjoying a stellar season with Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga.
Alonso has led Bayer to the top of the German top flight, posting 10 wins and a draw from their 11 matches to take to hold a two-point advantage over perennial favourites Bayern Munich.
MORE: Real Madrid face renewed Mbappe threat as giants threaten to ‘pick PSG star up by bike’
Leverkusen also boast a perfect record in the Europa League, with their qualification as group winners all but secured with two matchdays left.
Alonso’s performance, then, has caught the attention of Real Madrid, who will have to meet the release clause of the former Liverpool man if they are to secure his services.
Real Madrid Managers: All-time list of Blancos bosses, and how long they lasted
What is Xabi Alonso’s release clause?
Alonso has a release clause of between €15-18 million written into his Bayer Leverkusen contract, according to Suddeutsche Zeitung.
If Florentino Perez, the president of Real Madrid, really wants the Spaniard back at the Bernabeu, this is how much he will have to pay to make it happen.
Indeed, Perez will have to smartly balance the books of the 14-time European Cup winners, who are also linked with high-profile moves for PSG attacker Kylian Mbappe and Bayern Munich’s full-back Alphonso Davies.
Funds are liable to be tight due to the renovation of the Bernabeu, meaning that Los Blancos may have to pick between Galactico signings to join Jude Bellingham, Vini Jr et al. in the squad next season.
It is unclear, though, if it will be Alonso or another big name who is in the Real Madrid dugout leading them.
