Reports Conflict on Real Madrid’s Xabi Alonso Appointment Start Date

Transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano used his X account to reveal that Xabi Alonso has agreed to ... More replace Carlo Ancelotti as Real Madrid head coach. Around Spain, however, reports conflict on when the legendary midfielder will take over the reins in the Bernabeu dugout. Transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano used his X account to reveal that Xabi Alonso has agreed to replace Carlo Ancelotti as Real Madrid head coach. Around Spain, however, reports conflict on when the legendary midfielder will take over the reins in the Bernabeu dugout, and try to end bitter rival FC Barcelona’s newfound domestic dominance. “Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid, here we go!,” the Italian tweeted on Monday morning, in the aftermath of a 4-3 defeat for Los Blancos in El Clasico. “Story confirmed and deal sealed for Xabi as new manager until 2028. Staff sorted, contract in place and three year deal for Alonso with Real planning for him to start at FIFA Club World Cup. Ancelotti farewell soon, then Xabi era,” he added. Though Madrid itself hasn’t announced anything concrete on the matter, Alonso publicly revealed before the weekend that he will step down from his role as Bayer Leverkusen manager. “We can let you know that this week the club and I, we have agreed that these two games are going to be my last two games as a Bayern Leverkusen coach,” Alonso explained at a press conference to preview a Bundesliga clash with Borussia Dortmund. “We have been talking during this week that is always about the moment and now is the right moment to announce it.” Yet while Romano said that Madrid is “planning” for Alonso to get to work at his former playing days club before this summer’s lucrative Club World Cup, reports on when he really will start in his expected new post conflict in Spain. When will Real Madrid welcome its purported new head coach? Before Romano revealed his news, Catalan daily newspaper SPORT reported that Alonso “prefers to hold out until after the Club World Cup to take over the management” of the 15-time Champions League winners. Among others, the fact that Alonso “does not want to take the risk of failing in his first tournament without having been able to prepare the team in time” was cited as his primary motive for such a stance. Elsewhere, though, on the popular El Chiringuito program, host Josep Pedrerol stated that Alonso will head to the United States for the Club World Cup alongside Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold, plus a new centre back and left back. In the aftermath of Romano’s post, COPE journalist Arancha Rodriguez reported how Alonso will “start working immediately with Real Madrid” accompanied by his Leverkusen assistants. Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/tomsanderson/2025/05/12/transfer-expert-confirms-real-madrid-alonso-appointment-but-reports-conflict-on-start-date/