Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is considering Xabi Alonso as a shock potential replacement for Zinedine Zidane.
Zidane returned for a second spell as Madrid manager in March, having initially left the club at the end of the 2017/18 campaign.
The Frenchman was heavily backed in the transfer market, with los Blancos spending upwards of €300m in the summer and Zidane given a prominent role in identifying targets.
And according to Mundo Deportivo, former Madrid, Liverpool and Bayern Munich midfielder Alonso would be Perez’s first choice if Zidane was dismissed.
The Madrid boss is not thought to be under immediate pressure despite his team’s poor start to 2019/20, but Perez is keen to identify alternatives in case los Blancos’ form does not improve.
He hung up his boots in 2017 and has since moved into management, taking charge of Real Sociedad B this year having previously coached Madrid’s Under-14s.
Jose Mourinho and Max Allegri have also been mentioned as potential successors to Zidane, but Perez would prefer a younger coach in the mould of Alonso or Raul, the legendary ex-Madrid striker who is currently in charge of the club’s B team.
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