Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso has been on hold for around a month now, as he awaits news from Real Madrid. However increasingly it looks as if his return to the Santiago Bernabeu is drawing nearer.

Despite reports of a possible breakdown in negotiations between Carlo Ancelotti and Brazil, it seems highly likely that Ancelotti will move on this summer. For some time now it has been reported that Ancelotti will not be in charge for the Club World Cup in June. Despite some links to Jurgen Klopp, it seems clear that Alonso is the man that they want to replace him.

Leverkusen have reportedly given him until mid-May to resolve his future at the club, but as they look for a successor, all signs point to Alonso leaving the club for Los Blancos. Former club Real Sociedad were briefly linked to him, but President Jokin Aperribay alluded to a potential move to Real Madrid for Alonso while presenting Sergio Francisco to the media, noting to MD that “Sergio has replaced a person like Xabi Alonso (at Real Sociedad B) who is a world-class player and coach and who everything suggests will have other goals for next year.”

As reported by ReliefAlonso has been awaiting news from the Spanish capital, but has now received a positive update. The Basque manager will take over after the Club World Cup in July, with Director of Football Santiago Solari being brought in on an interim basis. They say Alonso has a fluid line of communication with General Director Jose Angel Sanchez.

There are just 24 days between the end of the Liga season and Real Madrid’s first game against Al-Hilal in the Club World Cup. A week of that will be without internationals, and it would be far from ideal to come into a tired squad to work for a month away from home before bidding them farewell for holidays.