Xabi Alonso has announced he will be leaving Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen at the end of the 2024-25 season.
Alonso, 43, is believed to become the next manager for his former club, Real Madrid, following the imminent departure of their current manager, Carlo Ancelotti.
The former FIFA World Cup winner played under Ancelotti at Real Madrid and won the club’s tenth UEFA Champions League title in 2013 with the Italian manager.
The Spaniard began his coaching career at Real Madrid’s under-14 team after completing his UEFA Elite Coaching course in 2018 before joining Real Soceidad’s second division B team in 2019.
German side Leverkusen took a giant leap of faith in Alonso by hiring him in 2022. He transformed the team from a relegation-threatened side to a Bundesliga-winning juggernaut.
He’ll fondly be remembered as the youngest manager to have led a German club to an unbeaten domestic league and cup double.
