LaLiga giants Real Madrid have contacted Brighton and Hove Albion manager Roberto De Zerbi about taking over from Carlo Ancelotti in the summer of 2025.
Don Carlo, as he is fondly called, is in his second stint as Real Madrid manager. The Italian is the club’s most successful manager in modern history and has earned a place in the annals of the club’s history.
However, the club are choosing to move on from him when his contract expires at the end of the 2024/25 season. This is due to their squad rebuilding with a very talented young generation. Ancelotti is also being courted by the Brazil national football team and all looks set for him to take over the role.
They are looking for a manager that is closer to the times to handle these young talents.
Former Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso was on the list for his exploits at current German Bundesliga leaders Bayer 04 Leverkusen. However, a new candidate for the role has emerged in Ancelotti’s fellow Italian, Roberto De Zerbi.
De Zerbi’s work at Brighton has not gone unnoticed. Pep Guardiola was famously quoted as saying that the former Sassuolo and Shakhtar Donetsk trainer will take over from him at Manchester City. Arsenal and Barcelona are also looking at him to succeed their current managers.
Florentino Perez has now tried to one-up all these clubs by making contact with De Zerbi and offering him the role. According to Spanish news outlet Sport, Perez believes that the 44-year-old is the right man to lead their new squad.
Endrick will be joining the club at the end of Ancelotti’s contract. Kylian Mbappe’s signing is being worked on, per reports. A number of new young signings are on their way. And De Zerbi, who has shown that he is ready to make the jump to a big team, is seen as a perfect option to handle them.
This is the first report of any contact between Real Madrid and a potential Ancelotti replacement. It remains to be seen what the club will eventually decide, as Alonso remains a viable option favoured by many in the club’s hierarchy.
Ancelotti, meanwhile, is fuming at the fact that he will return to a depleted squad after the international break.
He has lost Eduardo Camavinga and Vinicius Jr to injury during the international break and the legendary Italian football figure has hit out at FIFA for the incessant international breaks that have caused a number of teams grief.
Both players will be out of action for 8-10 weeks, putting their return in January at the earliest.
