It’s only the 13th of January but we’ve already seen managers sacked at Chelsea, Manchester United and Real Madrid since the start of the month.
The latest is Xabi Alonso, who was yesterday given his marching orders by Real Madrid, despite a decent record of 24 wins from 34 games this season, an overall win percentage of 70.59.
The Spanish tactician will surely still be a man in demand, however, after having previously done such an impressive job as manager of Bayer Leverkusen.
Alonso’s unbeaten Bundesliga triumph and run to the Europa League final saw him strongly linked with the Liverpool job once it came to replacing Jurgen Klopp, though ultimately that ended up going to Arne Slot instead.
Where next for Xabi Alonso after Real Madrid exit?
Still, with Liverpool now struggling in Slot’s second season and a vacancy popping up at Man United, could we see Alonso returning to the dugout sooner rather than later?
The 44-year-old might not have been quite right for Real Madrid and the unique demands of that job, but he’s still surely someone who would appeal to clubs like Liverpool or United, depending on where they are by the summer.
Here’s a look at clubs that could be worth keeping a close eye on when it comes to Alonso’s future in the months ahead…
Liverpool
Another of Alonso’s former clubs from his playing days, Liverpool will surely not stick with Slot if he fails to deliver Champions League qualification. The Dutch tactician perhaps got a little lucky with the squad he inherited from Klopp and Alonso’s playing style might be a better long-term fit.
Manchester United
If you’re a fan of online slots games and other forms of casino and betting sites, you’ll likely be keeping an eye on the next Man Utd manager odds, and Alonso will surely be in the equation now, with the Red Devils yet to decide on a permanent successor to Ruben Amorim, hiring an interim until the end of the season. United could scarcely wish for a better name to have just become available.
Manchester City
With Pep Guardiola’s future in doubt ahead of the summer, could the Man City job suddenly present an ideal opportunity for Alonso? One imagines he’d be a good successor to Guardiola, having played under him at Bayern Munich and adopted some similar tactics for his teams in his coaching career so far.
Chelsea
Chelsea have just hired Liam Rosenior, so this isn’t necessarily a vacancy we’ll see popping up soon, though we know the Blues tend to make managerial changes quickly if things aren’t working out. Rosenior is inexperienced and a bit of a gamble for the job, so Alonso might have one eye on how things look at Stamford Bridge by the end of the season.
Arsenal
Mikel Arteta has done a tremendous job at Arsenal, but the trophies are yet to arrive. If after such a big spending spree in the summer there is still no title on display at the Emirates, surely the Gunners might start to think about a change in manager to help them take that next step, with Alonso showing he can deliver silverware.
Bayern Munich
Another of Alonso’s former clubs, if Vincent Kompany can’t deliver the Champions League, then perhaps this is another job that could be worth keeping an eye on. It’s a long shot for the moment, but Bayern will be aware of what Alonso did with Leverkusen in the Bundesliga, and it’s surely the kind of big club that would appeal to the Spaniard.
PSG
Finally, Luis Enrique is another big-name manager who’ll be on the move this summer as he won’t be signing a new contract with PSG. Alonso would surely be a leading candidate to help build on the strong work Enrique has done there, but would the man himself be that keen on a job that in some ways has too many similarities with the difficulties he encountered at the Bernabeu?
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