Man United and Liverpool on alert

Real Madrid sent shockwaves through European football by sacking Xabi Alonso, ending his tenure at the Santiago Bernabeu prematurely.

Despite having a reputation as the continent’s brightest young tactical mind, a series of indifferent results and friction with the board led president Florentino Pérez to pull the trigger.

However, the Spaniard is unlikely to be out of work for long, with the Premier League giants already circling.

Man United on high alert as they search for permanent manager

Manchester United officials are already on “alert” following the announcement of Alonso’s availability.

The Red Devils are currently in a state of flux, it seems. approaches club legend Michael Carrick to take over as caretaker manager until the end of the season.

While Carrick is seen as the right man needed to steady the ship immediately, the INEOS hierarchy is firmly focused on the summer.

Alonso will now be among the main targets to lead the next phase of the INEOS project.

However, getting Alonso to Old Trafford won’t be easy.

It is suggested that Jason Wilcox, United’s technical director, will have to convince the former midfielder that United’s structure is ready for him.

The lure of rebuilding United is strong, but Alonso will demand assurances on control and transfer strategy before agreeing to any move.

Liverpool are also keen on Xabi Alonso

United will face tough competition from Alonso’s former club, Liverpool.

Pressure is reportedly increasing on current boss Arne Slot after a poor season, and the availability of Alonso, who was heavily linked with the Anfield job before joining Madrid, changes the landscape significantly.

Liverpool has a distinctive advantage in the negotiations: the presence of Florian Wirtz and Jérémie Frimpong.

The duo, who were instrumental in Alonso’s historic unbeaten run at Bayer Leverkusen, are now key figures at Anfield.

The prospect of reuniting with his old lieutenants, combined with his emotional connection to the Kop, could make Liverpool the more attractive destination.

With two of England’s biggest clubs potentially vying for his signature, the battle for Alonso is expected to dominate headlines well into the summer.