Sport Bild reports that Bayer Leverkusen are preparing for a potential departure of head coach Xabi Alonso next summer.
A decision on the Spaniard’s future is expected to be made in the springtime, amid a potential return to Real Madrid, depending on the future of Carlo Ancelotti. Liverpool and Bayern Munich were also previously interested in Alonso but both seem to be performing well with their head coaches Arne Slot and Vincent Kompany.
Leverkusen have begun scouting for potential successors and four possible candidates are being mooted. VfB Stuttgart’s Sebastian Hoeneß is seen as one of the suitors as he plays a similar style of play to Alonso.
Former St.Pauli and now Brighton head coach Fabian Hürzeler is also a candidate but it will not be easy to bring him back to Germany as he has a contract on the English south coast until 2027 and Brighton would probably demand a high fee to release him. Leverkusen have been keeping an eye on Hürzler for a while.
Leverkusen may look to take another chance on a new coach with Real Madrid’s Raúl also an option. The former striker has been managing in Madrid’s youth set-up. Finally, former Denmark head coach Kasper Hjulmand is also an option, he has Bundesliga experience having previously been at Mainz.
GGFN | Jack Meenan
