Next Real Madrid manager: Jurgen Klopp, Zinedine Zidane & the seven candidates to replace doomed Xabi Alonso after Man City humbling

Jurgen Klopp decided to step away from coaching after calling time on his stellar nine-year spell at Liverpool in the summer of 2024, and has since taken on the role of global head of soccer for the Red Bull Group. The charismatic German spoke to The Athletic about his new life in September, saying when quizzed on whether his time in the dugout is now over: "That’s what I think. But you don’t know. I’m 58. If I started again at 65, everybody will say, 'You said you’ll never do it again!' I don’t miss anything."

His stance appeared to have softened last month, though, as he described a potential return to Liverpool as "theoretically possible". Back in April, Klopp was in the frame for the Madrid job alongside Alonso when murmurs of Carlo Ancelotti's departure began, but The Telegraph reported that he would wait until next summer to decide on any management opportunities. 

However, El Mundo now claims that Madrid are ready to test Klopp's resolve. He is said to be one of the "favourites" to step in if Alonso is sacked, and he certainly has the personality and experience to spark an instant turnaround. Klopp's heavy-metal brand of football would surely be a hit with the Madrid faithful, too, but his true motivations remain unclear, so this feels like a dream appointment rather than a realistic one at the moment.

Zinedine Zidane is one of the greatest players and managers to ever grace the Bernabeu, which is why his name pops up every time there is talk of a coaching reshuffle in Madrid. The Athletic claims that Perez still has great "confidence and affection" for Zidane, who delivered three successive Champions League titles during his first stint in the hot seat.

The president brought him back once before, in similar times of crisis back in March 2019 after the disastrous short reigns of Julen Lopetegui and Santiago Solari. Zidane went on to deliver the 2019-20 La Liga title, but resigned at the end of the following campaign, and has been unemployed ever since.

Zidane is an adaptable coach who balances defensive solidity with attacking flair, and he knows how to get the best out of world-class players, much like Ancelotti. But it is the worst-kept secret in football that Zidane is waiting to take the reins of the France national team. With Didier Deschamps set to step down after the 2026 World Cup, it is expected that Zidane is being primed to usher in a new era for Les Bleus. It would be a huge surprise if he performed a U-turn now, especially for a Madrid squad dealing with a crisis of confidence and numerous injuries.

In February, the Daily Mail claimed that Madrid had identified Andoni Iraola as a lead contender to succeed Ancelotti. Iraola previously managed in Madrid at Rayo Vallecano, who he took from the Segunda Division to 11th in La Liga and the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey. 

Bournemouth bought into his billing as one of the most exciting young coaches in Europe when handing him a two-year contract in June 2023, and he's since enhanced his reputation. The Cherries are now in the mix for European qualification thanks to Iraola's attack-minded blueprint for success, with a high-pressing system and focus on vertical passing making them a match for even the very best Premier League teams.

The consensus is, Iraola will soon move on to bigger and better things. The 43-year-old has exceeded expectations in both La Liga and the Premier League, and Madrid's interest has probably only increased over the past 11 months. The Bernabeu is a pressure cooker like no other, but Iraola has the calm demeanour to deal with it, and wouldn't be afraid to take risks in order to bring the team out of its funk. 

If Madrid decide to look close to home, one name stands out above all others in La Liga: Marcelino Garcia Toral. Thanks to his disciplined approach, Villarreal are sitting third in La Liga, five points behind Barca with a game in hand, and there is genuine belief in the Castellon province that they can push for the title.

Villarreal boast the best defensive record in La Liga at present, with Marcelino's compact 4-4-2 formation forcing opponents wide, and they can be devastating on the transition with plenty of pace and guile in the final third. The 60-year-old Spaniard inherited a squad languishing in 14th when he returned to El Madrigal for a second spell in November 2023, and has transformed their fortunes in remarkable style, with a fifth-placed finish last term taking the club back into the Champions League.

The Yellow Submarine have really struggled in Europe's elite competition, which would be a concern for Madrid if they do seriously consider Marcelino, but only Alonso, Hansi Flick, Diego Simeone and Manuel Pellegrini have stronger CVs among the current coaching pool in Spain. Marcelino guided Villarreal to the Europa League semis in his first stint, won the Copa del Rey with Valencia in 2018-19 and reached the final a further two times with Athletic Club.

If Villarreal can move ahead of Madrid as the main challengers for Barca's crown, Perez may decide Marcelino is the right man to bring domestic glory back to the Bernabeu.

Roberto De Zerbi was linked with Real Madrid after overseeing Brighton's historic 2022-23 campaign. The Seagulls finished sixth in the Premier League to qualify for the Europa League for the first time ever, earning widespread praise for their intricate style, with De Zerbi demanding the players build from the back to provoke the opposition press before breaking through the lines with quick, incisive passes.

The fiery Italian eventually left the Amex Stadium in May 2024 before joining Marseille, where he has made just as big an impact. He took OM from eighth to second in his first full season, securing Champions League qualification, and made a number of bold recruitment calls that paid off, including the signings of Mason Greenwood, Adrien Rabiot and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.

It would not be a surprise if De Zerbi came into Real's thinking again; he's an attractive option even just for his pure passion and conviction. However, he would be the most risky appointment on this list, because he won't hesitate to call out players or club officials in public for sub-par performance and often courts controversy on the touchline. That goes some way to explaining why De Zerbi has never stayed at any club longer than three years, and he would not bring the stability Madrid need.

The Athletic has also reported that Madrid could promote from within instead of forking out on another high-profile manager. Alvaro Arbeloa is "highly regarded" for the first-team role, having been in charge of the club's Castilla side since May, when he succeeded club legend Raul.

The former Liverpool and Madrid defender initially returned to the Bernabeu in 2020 as Under-14s coach and has since worked his way up, to the point that he was among those considered to replace Ancelotti back in May. Arbeloa's claim is even stronger now, with Castilla sitting fourth in Spain's third tier and in the hunt for promotion, though he has been trying to mirror Alonso's typical 4-3-3 set-up with the senior squad.

Arbeloa has been accused of lacking a 'Plan B' by critics, while Castilla have looked short on penetration in the final third compared to their rivals. Still, the 42-year-old knows the club inside out and giving him the chance to step up would cause minimal disruption at this crucial stage of the season, while he could also bring through a crop of new academy stars.

If Madrid want an enthusiastic overachiever who drills down to the little details to generate success, they should look to Oliver Glasner as their next manager. Eintracht Frankfurt won the Europa League before reaching the Champions League knockout phase and DFB-Pokal final under the intense Austrian tactician, and he has performed more miracles since taking over at Crystal Palace in February 2024. 

The Eagles were in relegation danger when Glasner arrived, but finished the season in 10th, and went on to clinch their first major trophy in the form of the FA Cup in 2024-25, beating Man City in the final. Glasner is a meticulous coach who deploys a fluid 3-4-2-1 system that sees centre-backs push into midfield to create overloads with wing-backs bombing up the pitch as soon as the ball is turned over, and it has reaped big rewards, with Palace now punching well above their weight.

They are sitting fourth in the Premier League after 15 games of the current campaign, despite juggling Conference League commitments with an injury-ravaged squad that, much to Glasner's annoyance, wasn't bolstered sufficiently in the summer transfer window. The 51-year-old is too ambitious to stick around at Selhurst Park for much longer if he's not given the tools to keep progressing, and top clubs across the continent are reportedly keeping an eye on his situation. 

The jump from Palace to Real Madrid would be huge, but Glasner is the kind of man who embraces daunting challenges head-on. It would be fascinating to see what he could do with a star-studded squad.