Florentino Perez considering two Real Madrid club legends as Carlo Ancelotti's successor - reports
Legendary Real Madrid duo Xabi Alonso and Raul are being lined up as potential candidates to succeed Carlo Ancelotti, as per Media Foot.
Ancelotti has had huge success since rejoining Madrid last summer, leading Los Blancos to a UEFA Champions League and La Liga double last season.
The Italian has overseen an impressive start to the 2022-23 campaign with Madrid unbeaten in all competitions. They are currently joint-top of La Liga with Barcelona.
However, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is already looking to the future and eyeing potential successors for Ancelotti.
Perez wants to find a similar option to former coach Zinedine Zidane who led the Galacticos to five Champions League trophies.
The Los Blancos president wants a former player in the role once Ancelotti does depart, with Alonso and Raul fitting the bill.
Alonso is currently unemployed having left Real Sociedad B back in May but is reportedly the frontrunner to succeed Bayer Leverkusen manager Gerardo Seoane.
The Bundesliga side are considering parting ways with the Swiss coach amid a poor start to the season in which they sit second-bottom in the league.
Alonso led Sociedad B to promotion to the Spanish second tier for the first time in 60 years during his time in charge.
He previously worked with Madrid's youth setup as he began his climb of the coaching ladder.
The Spaniard played 236 times for Los Blancos, scoring six goals and providing 31 assists.
Meanwhile, Raul is currently managing Real Madrid's reserve side Castilla.
He was appointed in 2019 and has the side sitting sixth in Primera Federación – Group 1, with three wins, one draw and two defeats in six.
The legendary striker bagged 228 goals in 550 appearances during his time at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Real Madrid manager Ancelotti claims his current contract is his last
Ancelotti claimed back in early August that he would retire once his current contract with Madrid expires in 2024.
He said:
“After Real Madrid, I will retire. This chapter will close my career as manager. Real Madrid means top level, so it makes sense to consider this club as the end of my career."
The Italian has had enormous success with Madrid in both his spells at the Santiago Bernabeu.
He has won the Champions League twice, the La Liga title as well as the Copa del Rey.
Ancelotti has also managed the likes of Chelsea, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain, winning the league title for each respective club.
It remains to be seen if he does stay true to his word given that Los Blancos are not in the slightest looking to part with the Italian.