Erik ten Hag is ‘neck and neck’ with an Arsenal legend in the race to become the new manager of Bayer Leverkusen.
Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso will leave the club at the end of the season to take charge at Real Madrid, returning to his former club as boss when Carlo Ancelotti departs.
Alonso has long been linked to a return to Spain at the end of the season, with pressure mounting on Ancelotti after a comparatively disappointing campaign with Los Blancos.
He earned widespread acclaim for leading Leverkusen to an unbeaten domestic double last season, losing just one game across all fronts – the Europa League final in their final match of the campaign.
However, ahead of Sunday’s last home game of the season, Alonso has now announced that he will be leaving the club, with numerous reports indicating he will depart for Real Madrid.
Though much of the attention will be on how the former midfielder does in Spain, he will need replacing at Leverkusen, and, according to German outlet Kicker, it could be either Ten Hag or Cesc Fabregas who will be in the dugout next year.
Two former Premier League coaches are battling it out to become the new manager of Bayer Leverkusen, it has been reported
Erik ten Hag could take the job in his first role since being sacked by Manchester United
Cesc Fabregas could take the job following an impressive debut season as boss of Como
Ten Hag has been out of a job since being sacked by Manchester United in October, having been let go by the Red Devils before being replaced by Ruben Amorim.
While with the Red Devils, he led them to a League Cup win and a spot in the Champions League before things crumbled this season.
It is reported that he would cost more in terms of a wage, but would be cheaper to hire directly as he isn’t currently in a job like Fabregas.
The former Gunners captain, who also played for the likes of Barcelona and Chelsea, has been in charge of Italian side Como since the start of the season in what is his first managerial job.
He has led them to 10th in the Serie A table as things stand in their first season since promotion, and is slowly gaining a reputation as one of Europe’s most exciting coaches in Europe.
The 38-year-old, though, has penned a deal until 2028, and it is reported that he would command a fee of around £10million to get him out of his contract.
Alonso, meanwhile, announced on Friday: ‘This week, the club and I have agreed these will be my last two games as Leverkusen coach. This is the right moment to announce it because we have always had this good communication with the club.
‘We have to enjoy this moment with mixed emotions, it is emotional! I spoke to the players and the staff it was not easy. We’ve had a great connection and that’s been the key. They believed in me and they’ve followed me. I want to have a proper goodbye this weekend.’
Ten Hag was sacked by United in October having led them to a League Cup win during his time in charge
As Leverkusen manager, Alonso has taken charge of 138 games, winning 88 of them – just under an impressive 64 per cent win rate.
As well as being voted the Bundesliga’s coach of the season last year, the Spaniard was also crowned ‘Best Coach of the Year’ by Globe Soccer in 2024.
He left Madrid after winning five trophies and making 236 appearances for the club in five years in 2014, and is one of Spain’s golden generation of exceptional midfielders, lifting two European Championships and a World Cup for La Roja, playing 114 times.
