Overview
- Xabi Alonso left Real Madrid by mutual consent roughly seven months after his appointment, departing with 20 wins from 28 matches following the Supercopa loss to Barcelona.
- Álvaro Arbeloa has taken interim charge at Real Madrid while the club weighs longer‑term options, with no permanent successor confirmed.
- Jurgen Klopp said he was “surprised and not surprised” by Alonso’s exit and rejected speculation linking him to Madrid, stressing he is content in his Red Bull role.
- Multiple clubs have been linked with Alonso since his departure, with reports of interest from Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham, and SportBILD reporting Eintracht Frankfurt made initial contact after sacking Dino Toppmöller.
- Separate reporting indicates Alonso is keen on a Premier League return and would only consider offers that begin in the summer, while Liverpool head coach Arne Slot questioned whether modern sporting‑director models drive quicker dismissals.