Xabi Alonso set to leave amid Man City and Madrid links
Xabi Alonso will leave Bayer Leverkusen in 2025 amid rumors that Man City and Real Madrid are eyeing the Spanish tactician, per Bild.
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According to German outlets Bild and Bundesliga, reigning champions Leverkusen have accepted that they will lose Alonso next year. Meanwhile, Leverkusen is planning a replacement, including Sandro Wagner and Stuttgart’s Sebastian Hoeness.
Alonso will leave Leverkusen in 2025
Bild stated that Alonso’s decision to leave at the end of this season is firm. The Spanish manager has done brilliantly at Leverkusen despite being at his only second job as a manager.
The 42-year-old took over a Leverkusen side languishing in the relegation zone, leading them to a sixth-place finish in the 2022-23 season.
Alonso built on that groundwork for an unforgettable 2023-24 campaign, leading his side to an unbeaten domestic season.
As a result, the German club clinched its maiden Bundesliga title and its first DFB-Pokal in 31 years.
The former Liverpool and Real Madrid great also led Leverkusen to the Europa League final, but they fell short, being defeated 3-0 by the Italian side Atalanta.
Die Werkself has also made an encouraging start to the 2024-25 season, clinching the German Super Cup, winning both Champions League games, and losing just one of their seven Bundesliga matches.
Man City and Madrid are eyeing on Alonso
Guardiola has entered the final year of his Man City contract, leading to significant speculation about his future with the Premier League champions.
The Man City boss recently confirmed that he is yet to decide whether to stay put or leave when his contract expires next summer. However, David Orsnstein from the Athletic revealed that the Spanish manager will remain for another season.
For Real Madrid, Alonso’s arrival will depend on Carlo Ancelotti’s decision to leave or continue at Bernabeu after the 2024/25 season.
According to journalist Florian Plettenberg, Real Madrid also views their former player as a possible contender to replace Carlo Ancelotti at the Santiago Bernabeu.
While Alonso remains under contract until the summer of 2026, the German champions are already scouring the managerial landscape for possible replacements.