Bayer Leverkusen confirm deal is in place should Xabi Alonso look to leave

Bayer Leverkusen and Xabi Alonso have a “gentleman’s agreement” in place so that the Basque coach could be released this summer if one of the clubs he played for during his professional career looks to sign him up. This agreement was confirmed earlier today in Madrid by the CEO of the German club, Fernando Carro, who is in the Spanish capital for the Laureus Awards, in which Bayer Leverkusen are nominated in the ’breakthrough team’ category.

“We have a gentlemen’s agreement that if any of the teams he has played for (Real Sociedad, Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid) come, we would sit down to talk and we would not put any impediment,” acknowledged Carro. Given that the question marks surrounding Carlo Ancelotti’s future at the Santiago Bernabeu club, Real Madrid are the obvious candidate for the 43-year-old.

The Leverkusen CEO explained that they had “not yet” sat down with Xabi Alonso for a possible move but have been looking at preparation plans for the 2025/26 season. “We are not naive, but the position of the coach is very important for a club and it is true that we are preparing next season with him, we have followed him working every day, he is fully involved in that preparation,” he said.

However, Carro is also aware of the situation Real Madrid are going through and did not want to dodge the fact that it could lead to a change in the head coach on the bench at the Bernabeu. “We are a very professional club and we have to be prepared for everything. If at the end there was an interest from another club and he was interested in going to that club, we have a relationship that we would have to talk about it. It is not our desire, but with him we are clear,” he added.

Three or four weeks

That said, Fernando carro made it clear that the possible departure of the coach, and the gentlemen’s agreement, cannot be delayed and would have some sort of expiration date in order to prepare well for next season. “The decision has to be in the next three or four weeks, not much longer. There is nothing now, but in the next three or four weeks we will know if there is any tectonic change in the club,” he finished.

Should Alonso reach an agreement with Real Madrid, it remains to be seen whether he would coach the team at the FIFA Club World Cup, which starts on June 14 and ends on July 13, or whether the task at overseeing the team in the US would fall to Raúl or Santiago Solari, both of whom are part of the club’s coaching staff.

Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.