REAL MADRID
Xabi Alonso’s secret release clause for Real Madrid, Bayern and Liverpool
An exit clause agreed with Leverkusen would allow Alonso to leave for three clubs next year - and Real Madrid is one of them.
The impeccable work of Xabi Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen, who remain undefeated this season and are the current leaders of the Bundesliga, continues to spark rumours about the managerial future of the former LaLiga winner.
The coach has been linked for some time as a possible successor to Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid as of next season, at which point the Italian’s contract at the Santiago Bernabéu expires. And now this idea is something that all the more plausible due to a detail in Xabi’s contract with his current German team.
Real Madrid offer ‘difficult’ to reject, says UCL winner
As revealed by the German newspaper Sport Bild, both the club and the manager have agreed a release clause that is valid for three of Alonso’s former clubs: Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Liverpool. Despite Xabi’s contract with Bayer Leverkusen running until 2026, any of these teams would have easier access to the Spaniard and could take on the coach’s services from next summer, when the clause comes into force. The agreed amount for his release is still unknown.
Ottmar Hitzfeld, former coach and winner of two Champions Leagues with Dortmund and Bayern, believes Alonso, despite the aforementioned clause, should be more patient. “It is difficult to say no to Real Madrid if there is really an offer, but my advice to Xabi is that he stays at Leverkusen until 2025.”
Xabi can ‘leave behind something big’ in the Bundesliga
“I think he should return the favour to the club for the opportunity to work as a head coach in the Bundesliga”, he continued, “he is still young and can gain a lot of experience here and leave behind something big. That’s why I advise him not to leave after this season, but to stay at least one more year,” Hitzfeld stressed.
Xabi himself had dodged the questions about his future two weeks ago. “It’s too early. It’s September, so it’s not an issue to discuss. I’m still focused. We have started the season well and I have to be the first to stay focused,” he declared, well aware that the sirens will not stop whirring as they already are.
