Bayer Leverkusen chief Fernando Carro has admitted that manager Xabi Alonso's future will be decided in the next weeks, with Real Madrid keen on securing his services.
Alonso is said to have rejected moves to Bayern Munich and Premier League sides in the summer to stay in his post as Leverkusen boss, but his future seems certain to lie away from Germany.
Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti has come under pressure following his side's exit from the Champions League earlier in April at the hands of Arsenal, and the Italian has also been linked with the Brazil national team.
Carro revealed that Leverkusen have an agreement with Alonso that they would entertain approaches for him from one of his former sides, saying: "We have a gentlemen's agreement. If a team he has played for comes, we will sit down and talk and we won't put obstacles in his way. He's played for Bayern, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Real Sociedad.
"Last year during the international break he assured us that he would stay with us, despite having offers from other teams. This international break, at the end of March, we sat down to talk and we have given ourselves some time to decide if he will stay with us until next year. We are very calm because we have an excellent relationship."
During his time at Leverkusen, Alonso managed to win both the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal, and he would undoubtedly leave as a legend of the club.
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What changes can Real fans expect with Alonso?
Ancelotti has struggled to get the best out of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior, with both forwards preferring to operate on the left of attack.
The duo's commitment out of possession has also been questioned this term, and it is difficult to see how Alonso can succeed with the pair in the same XI.
Vinicius Junior has been linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League, so perhaps Los Blancos will consider sanctioning the Brazilian's exit.
Alonso is also likely to implement a change of formation at the Bernabeu to his favoured 3-4-3 system, and that may entail the need to sign a centre-back to play alongside the likes of Antonio Rudiger.
Real have been credited with interest in Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate and Arsenal's William Saliba, and it would not be surprising if one of the two ended up in Spain.
Elsewhere, Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold is widely expected to leave Anfield and join Los Blancos, and he may be afforded offensive freedom as a wing-back in a back five as opposed to being asked to play as a full-back in a flat four-man defence.
Lewis Nolan
