- Xabi Alonso guided Bayer Leverkusen to their first-ever Bundesliga title without a single defeat
- CEO Fernando Carro confirmed a gentleman’s agreement allowing Alonso to leave if a former club calls
- Real Madrid, Liverpool, and Bayern Munich are all reportedly monitoring Alonso’s situation
Key Takeaways:
Xabi Alonso currently stands at the pinnacle of football management following a historic title-winning season with Bayer Leverkusen, but his long-term future in the Bundesliga remains uncertain. Club CEO Fernando Carro revealed that there’s a “gentleman’s agreement” between the two sides which would allow the Spaniard to leave – should one of his former clubs come calling.
Alonso took over Leverkusen in October 2022 and transformed the team into an unstoppable force within just 18 months. In the 2023/24 campaign, he led the team to their first-ever Bundesliga title, and did so without suffering a single defeat. The club triumphed with the German Cup and lost only to Atalanta in the Europa League final. This term, Leverkusen are also set to play in the DFB-Pokal final.
🚨🗣️ Fernando Carro, Leverkusen CEO: “Xabi Alonso has no exit clause, but we have a gentlemen’s agreement.
If a team he played for comes, we’ll sit down, talk about it and we will not put any obstacles in the way.” @GuillermoRai_ pic.twitter.com/s9whIZW9o5
— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) April 21, 2025
With an outstanding record of 88 wins in 136 matches (30 draws, 18 losses), the 43-year-old coach has understandably drawn attention from Europe’s top clubs. In recent months, he’s been linked with Bayern Munich, Liverpool, and Real Madrid—three sides he represented as a player.
Though Alonso publicly stated that he intends to honour his contract through 2026, speculation about a potential return to the Santiago Bernabéu intensified after Real Madrid’s elimination at the hands of Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-finals. Current Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has been heavily linked with the Brazil national team, further fuelling rumours of a summer change.
“We have a gentleman’s agreement—if one of the clubs he played for contacts him, we’ll sit down and talk. We won’t stand in his way,” Carro told reporters. “Last year, Xabi had offers from major clubs, but he assured us he would stay. It’s still too early to say what will happen — the season isn’t over yet.”
Carro noted that Leverkusen and Real Madrid enjoy “excellent” relations, but clarified that there has been no contact from the Spanish club regarding Alonso.
“We’re not naïve—we understand how crucial the coach’s role is. We’re preparing for the new season with him. We work with Xabi every day; he’s fully committed to the preparations. But we also need to be ready for anything,” Carro added.