Following Bayer Leverkusen’s announcement that Xabi Alonso will be leaving his role as the club’s manager when this season ends, a couple of favourites to replace the Real Madrid-bound tactician have emerged.
Cesc Fabregas of Italian Serie A side Como and former Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag have emerged as the leading candidates to replace outgoing Alsono as the Bundesliga club’s new manager.
Alonso announced on Friday that he will leave the Bay Arena at the end of the 2024-25 campaign, as Sky Sports in Germany reported that the Spanish tactician is on his way to join Real Madrid.
The Spaniard spent almost three seasons at the Bundesliga club, where he won the German Bundesliga and the DFB Pokal titles unbeaten in the 2023/2024 campaign and guided the club to the UEFA Europa League Final, where they lost to Atalanta.
With Alonso set to leave the club, the former Bundesliga winners have already begun their search for a new head coach and Kicker now reports that they have narrowed in on Como manager Cesc Fabregas and former Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag.
The report adds that the Dutch coach is likely to demand a salary significantly less compared to his €12 million wages at Old Trafford. On the other hand, for Fabregas, Leverkusen will have to pay a transfer fee as the Spaniard has a contract with Como until 2028.
So while the ex-Chelsea and Arsenal star’s salary will be lower than Ten Hag’s, the final amount, including a fee, will see the German club ending up paying a similar amount.
Madrid-bound Alonso will oversee the club’s final two matches of the 2024-25 campaign against Borussia Dortmund and Mainz on May 11 and 17, respectively.