He put himself forward! Real Madrid's outgoing coach, Álvaro Arbeloa, is reported to have suffered a blunt rejection from the Bundesliga

Leverkusen's response to his approach was not encouraging for the former Spanish international. Although the club rates Arbeloa highly and scouted him during his stint as a youth coach at Real Madrid, their overall impression was not strong enough to hand him the first-team job at this stage.

Bayer's hierarchy is quoted as saying they lack "the conviction that Arbeloa has progressed far enough in his development as a coach to be able to lead the Leverkusen team straight back to the top".

Arbeloa took charge of Real's first team in January after the club sacked former Bayer champion-maker Xabi Alonso. Even the former right-back could not prevent a second consecutive campaign without silverware. Shortly before the season's end he confirmed he would not remain as head coach; his designated successor is José Mourinho (63, Benfica).

After 20 years in various roles at the club, he now wants to work abroad, according to Sport Bild.

That move could have taken him to Leverkusen, where current coach Kasper Hjulmand (54) now looks set to be sacked despite holding a contract until 2027, after the club missed out on Champions League qualification. However, the search for his successor has hit a snag for sporting directors Fernando Caro (61) and Simon Rolfes (44).

Their first choice was fellow Spaniard Andoni Iraola (43), who is leaving AFC Bournemouth after three successful years. However, Liverpool's weekend sacking of Arne Slot suddenly made Iraola the Reds' top target, and an agreement is now reportedly in place, with an official announcement expected soon.

That pursuit also saw Leverkusen's former Atlético defender Filipe Luis, who had been linked with the club, choose AS Monaco instead. Monaco's lack of a UEFA Pro Licence was also a factor: without special dispensation, they would face a €25,000 fine per match for Luis to stand on the touchline. 

Oliver Glasner (51, leaving Crystal Palace) is said to prefer talks with AC Milan over a Bundesliga return, while Michel (50) will move from Girona to Ajax Amsterdam.

Carro and Rolfes are under pressure to act, as they aim to announce the new head coach for the coming season before the end of the week. The urgency is heightened by the club's pursuit of Hertha BSC prodigy Kennet Eichhorn. Several suitors are chasing the 16-year-old's signature.

According tokicker, Bayer have "good chances" of securing his signature, but those prospects are slipping while the coaching vacancy remains open. The uncertainty is a "deal-breaker": Eichhorn will not commit to a club that has yet to name its future head coach.