Real Madrid have announced that manager Xabi Alonso has left the club by mutual consent. It brings his eight-month stint with Los Blancos to an end as the next Real Madrid manager odds for his replacement go live.
A 3-2 defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final proved to be the final straw for Alonso, whose side sit four points adrift in La Liga to their bitter rivals. While the club were quick to thank the Spaniard for his time served and added that Real Madrid will always be his home, the search for his successor begins as we preview who will be next to take on one of the biggest jobs in football.
Latest Odds for the Next Real Madrid Manager
The markets for the next Real Madrid manager are already taking shape. We’ve compared the odds between the best online betting sites and have the latest from BetVictor in the table below.
| Manager | Odds |
|---|---|
| Enzo Maresca | 1/1 |
| Zinedine Zidane | 3/1 |
| Jurgen Klopp | 4/1 |
| Luis Enrique | 12/1 |
| Andoni Iraola | 12/1 |
| Robert De Zerbi | 16/1 |
| Oliver Glasner | 16/1 |
| Jose Mourinho | 25/1 |
| Gareth Southgate | 25/1 |
| Julian Nagelsmann | 25/1 |
| Cesc Fabregas | 25/1 |
| Marco Silva | 25/1 |
| Diego Simone | 25/1 |
| Mauricio Pochettino | 25/1 |
*Odds correct at 17:35 GMT on 12/01/2026. Odds subject to change.
Enzo Maresca
Enzo Maresca is the early favourite to replace Alonso at Real Madrid. The former Chelsea manager left his role at Stamford Bridge on 1 January 2026 after a fallout with the club's owners over potential incomings and outgoings.
The Italian was previously at Leicester City, following a stint working under Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. He was a surprise appointment to get the role at Chelsea, and ultimately failed to make much of an impact during his 18-month tenure.
To expect him to fill the void at a club like Real Madrid, with very little experience of being the number one at a major club, seems a little far-fetched. Tactically, he could fit the role well, but there’s more to it than that at Madrid in what can only be described as a pressure-cooker move.
Zinedine Zidane
Another curious inclusion to the early next Real Madrid manager odds is former boss, Zinedine Zidane. He’s not worked in management since leaving the Bernabeu in 2021, but was successful there, winning three consecutive Champions League titles (2016-2018).
He’s one of few in the list who has not only successfully managed a team of Galacticos, but of course, was once one, representing the club as a player, earning 155 caps over five seasons.
A spanner in the works for this move would be the rumours that he’s set to take charge of the French national team after the World Cup this summer. Of course, nothing has been publicly confirmed yet, but it would make us a little more cautious about backing Zidane in the manager betting markets to return to Real after almost five years out of management.
Jurgen Klopp
The former Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp, has been linked with a slew of clubs this summer, but as yet, hasn’t taken the bait. He’s currently employed by Red Bull as their head of soccer in an executive role.
What Klopp will bring is a culture-building mentality, which is crucial at a club like Real Madrid. They undoubtedly have some of the best players in the world, it’s just for the manager to get them gelling, and this could be a great fit for Klopp.
Given that he’s not totally gone away from football and never stated that he wouldn’t manage at club level again, you’d imagine that if he did go back, it would have to be a huge pull. And it doesn’t get any bigger than Real Madrid.
He was rumoured to have turned down a move to the Spanish giants when he was at Liverpool, but things have changed a lot since then. It could be an outside pick, but out of all the next Real Madrid manager options, this one ticks the most boxes.
