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Real Madrid and Manchester City are set to compete in a high-stakes race to secure Bayer Leverkusen’s head coach, Xabi Alonso, as their next manager.

According to Sky Sports Germany on October 21 (KST), “Bayer Leverkusen is preparing for the potential departure of Xabi Alonso. While the club managed to keep Alonso, who brought home two trophies last season, signs point to a possible farewell at the end of the upcoming campaign.”

Alonso first attracted the attention of European football’s elite clubs during the 2021-2022 season. After a glittering playing career, he quickly transitioned into coaching, taking charge of Real Madrid’s youth team and leading them successfully.

A year later, Alonso stepped up to manage Real Sociedad’s B team. Despite early praise for his coaching abilities and links to various top clubs, Alonso chose to spend three years developing his skills with the Sociedad B team.

In October 2022, Alonso was appointed as Bayer Leverkusen’s head coach. Though it was a bold move for Leverkusen to hire a star player-turned-coach with no experience at top-tier clubs, this decision would go down as one of the best in the club’s history. Leverkusen’s situation at the time was dire—they were hovering near the relegation zone.

However, Alonso transformed the club’s fortunes. Under his leadership, Leverkusen rapidly climbed the table and finished the season in 6th place. By the 2023-2024 season, Alonso’s Leverkusen team took the world by surprise, embarking on an incredible 51-game unbeaten run that led them to Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal Cup glory. Leverkusen secured their first-ever Bundesliga title and became the first team in Bundesliga history to achieve an undefeated season.

Alonso’s tactical acumen and ability to turn Leverkusen into a dominant force earned him recognition as one of Europe’s top coaches. Despite offers from major clubs like Liverpool, Real Madrid, and Bayern Munich, Alonso chose to stay with Leverkusen for another year. However, it seems Alonso is now ready to take the next step in his managerial career, and several big clubs are eager to secure his services.

Sky Sports reported, “Although Alonso is contracted with Leverkusen until the 2025-2026 season, the club’s management is already searching for his replacement. There is growing speculation internally that Alonso will leave, and the club has long been scouting potential candidates to succeed him.”

The two most likely destinations for Alonso appear to be Real Madrid and Manchester City. Real Madrid continues to view Alonso as a potential successor to Carlo Ancelotti. Meanwhile, Manchester City, with Pep Guardiola’s future uncertain, is also targeting Alonso as a prime candidate for their managerial position. With Liverpool now having secured Arne Slot as their new manager and Bayern Munich seemingly stepping back, the competition for Alonso’s signature has narrowed.

If Alonso does leave Leverkusen, it’s expected to spark a major showdown between Real Madrid and Manchester City in the pursuit of his managerial talents.