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Xabi Alonso, the Spaniard who signed a contract for three years on Sunday, has been announced as REAL Madrid’s new manager.
The Spanish giants announced that “Xabi Alonso would be the Real Madrid Coach for the next three years, from June 1, 2020, to June 30, 2028.”
Alonso (43), returns to the squad where he appeared 236 times from 2009-2014, winning six major honours, including the UEFA Champions League.
The former World Cup winning midfielder will be joining on June 1, ahead of the first revamped Club World Cup. Real’s first match will be against Al-Hilal, a Saudi team in Miami, on June 18.
Alonso has joined from Bayer Leverkusen in Germany, where he had established himself as a promising tactician.
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Alonso’s Leverkusen surprised German giants Bayern Munich with a domestic double last season without losing a match.
Erik Ten Hag, former Manchester United coach, is said to be in the running to succeed the Spaniard as Leverkusen manager. Leverkusen came second in the Bundesliga in 2018.
Alonso is set to replace Carlo Ancelotti who has left Real after winning 15 major honours in two stints. Ancelotti agreed a contract with Brazil’s new head coach, Alonso.
Real Madrid ended the season without winning a trophy, for the first time since 2004.
Los Blancos has already been active on the transfer markets before Alonso’s arrival.
Former Costa del Sol expat Dean Huijsen has signed from English side AFC Bournemouth in a €60 million deal, while Liverpool’s right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold is expected to become the latest Englishman to join Real once his contract with the new Premier League champions runs out this summer.
