- Manchester United reportedly ‘in talks’ with Xabi Alonso
- Spaniard played for rivals Liverpool
- He is available after leaving Real Madrid
With just seven games left in the Premier League season, Manchester United have begun assessing potential managers to take charge of the 2026/27 campaign.
And whilst Michael Carrick remains the clear frontrunner, reports place Xabi Alonso firmly in the frame. It may seem highly unlikely that the former Liverpool midfielder would ever take his place in the Old Trafford dugout—but in modern football, it is never entirely impossible.
Alonso is available after he was sacked by Real Madrid in January. There is a chance the Spaniard could shock the landscape and move to Manchester.
Man United in for Alonso?
According to a report from CaughtOffside, the former Liverpool midfielder is ‘constantly linked with the Anfield job.’ It’s suggested that he will be the Merseysiders’ first-choice Arne Slot replacement.
They do however claim that a shock United appointment can’t be ruled out:
“Alonso is eager to return to the dugout and has already held preliminary discussions with Manchester United, alongside other European heavyweights including Manchester City, Benfica, and Porto.
Alonso has taken an unconventional route in management. He began with the B side at Real Sociedad before stepping into senior management with Bayer Leverkusen in 2022, where he built his reputation.
During the 2023/24 season, he came agonisingly close to delivering a completely unbeaten treble.
Leverkusen lifted both the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal—finishing 17 points clear of VfB Stuttgart—and only a stunning performance from Ademola Lookman in the UEFA Europa League Final denied them a third trophy and a fully unbeaten campaign.
Alonso spent one more season in Germany, although he could not quite replicate those historic heights, before moving to Real Madrid. However, his time in Spain proved brief.
Tensions behind the scenes, particularly with Vinicius Junior, created a fractured environment, and Alonso departed after just 34 games, albeit with the fifth-highest win percentage in the club’s history at 70.49%.
Is Alonso an Option?
Could we see Xabi Alonso at Old Trafford next season? No.
Whilst, of course, a chance exists, the reality is that the possibility of Alonso managing Manchester United sits close to zero. In fact, you would have a better chance of earning a trial at the club tomorrow.
Alonso remains a young, progressive, and forward-thinking manager with his entire career still ahead of him. At 44, however, the next logical step in his trajectory likely leads him to Liverpool, where he could eventually succeed Arne Slot.
Realistically, the only way Old Trafford sees Alonso next season comes with him standing in the opposite dugout. It remains increasingly likely that Carrick will be appointed permanently come the end of the campaign.
