After the success of promoting Zinedine Zidane to the manager's role, Real Madrid could replicate that with another legend stepping into the hot seat
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Real Madrid have identified Carlo Ancelotti successor as manager of the first-team, with one legend of the club already lined up as the Italian's replacement.
Ancelotti's contract with Real is due to expire in the summer of 2024, but he could leave Los Blancos even sooner. Indeed, reports emerged last month that Ancelotti had agreed to become the new manager of Brazil's national team at the end of the current campaign, which Real Madrid rubbished amid the intense speculation.
Ancelotti's agent, Frank Trimboli, reportedly even travelled to Brazil last week to meet the Brazilian Football Confederation. Brazil only appointed Ramon Menezes as interim manager, too, perhaps paving the way for Ancelotti to become the new boss of the Selecao. Anc
Raul has been managing Real Madrid Castilla since 2019 (Image credit: Getty Images)
Regardless of when the 63-year-old leaves, though, Real Madrid have already identified their next manager, according to Spanish outlet AS.
Real Madrid legend Raul has established himself as a serious contender as the next manager of the club. Currently Real's reserve-team coach, Raul is the club's record appearance maker in history, featuring 741 times between 1994 and 2010.
Still only 45, Raul has attracted interest from the Premier League and Bundesliga in recent months, but the Spaniard could follow former team-mate Zinedine Zidane in progressing from the reserve side directly to the first-team.
Since taking over Real Madrid Castilla in 2019, Raul has helped the club finish seventh, second and tenth in Spain's third tier, but the crowning moment of his fledgling coaching career came in 2020 when he led the side to UEFA Youth League glory.
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The report states that Real Madrid's senior side would, naturally, be Raul's first choice. However, it also recognises that he is open to proposals from elsewhere, should the right offer come his way.
Leeds United reportedly even offered him their vacant manager's position last month after sacking Jesse Marsch, but Raul refused to make the leap to the Premier League.
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Ryan is a staff writer for FourFourTwo, joining the team full-time in October 2022. He first joined Future in December 2020, working across FourFourTwo, Golf Monthly, Rugby World and Advnture's websites, before eventually earning himself a position with FourFourTwo permanently. After graduating from Cardiff University with a degree in Journalism and Communications, Ryan earned a NCTJ qualification to further develop as a writer while a Trainee News Writer at Future.
