Real Madrid aims to have Xabi Alonso appointed as their new manager in time for next month’s Club World Cup.
Sources indicate that Alonso, 43, is expected to travel to Madrid on June 1 to prepare the team for their first match of the inaugural FIFA tournament on June 18, where they will face Saudi side Al-Hilal in Miami.
Alonso, a former Real Madrid, Liverpool, and Spain midfielder, announced on Friday that he would be leaving Bayer Leverkusen at the end of the season.
Although it was not initially his intention to join Real Madrid at this time, discussions took place last week. The club decided that it would not be practical to have an interim manager before Alonso takes over.
Current Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti will leave the Santiago Bernabéu at the end of the season to become the national team coach of Brazil. The 65-year-old Italian is set to receive a farewell during Los Blancos’ final home game of the campaign against Real Sociedad on May 25.
