At the start of the 2021/22 season, Real Madrid raised some eyebrows with their decision to bring Carlo Ancelotti back to the club to replace the departing Zinedine Zidane.
At that point in his career, many believed Ancelotti's best days were past him as at the time he was managing Everton in the Premier League.
However, since his return Ancelotti has proved his critics wrong and has shown the club made the right choice bringing him back. The Italian has led the team to ten total trophies including two La Liga titles and two extraordinary Champions League titles.
Los Blancos currently sit second in La Liga, seven points off rivals Barcelona and have a massive matchup against them in the Copa del Rey Final next weekend.
After Real's embarrassing 5-1 aggregate loss to Arsenal in the Champions League, Ancelotti's future at the club comes more and more in doubt with every bad result. With his time at the club seemingly coming to an end, let's look at three potential options to replace Ancelotti for the 2025/26 season.
Xabi Alonso
The choice who has been most linked with being Ancelotti's successor is Xabi Alonso.
The Spaniard has worked wonders in his time at Bayer Leverkusen helping guide the team to their first ever Bundesliga title last season, doing so in an incredible invincible campaign.
As well as a victory in the DFB Pokal and runners up in the Europa League last year. Many have been speculating, even his club themselves that Alonso will depart Leverkusen in the summer should the Real Madrid job become available.
He is Real Madrid's first choice if they go for a replacement. Fabrizio Romano has also said that he is their second, third and fourth choice as well. He is brilliant, and if he is to come in, he would demand the respect of every player.
Alonso's tactics seem to work well at Leverkusen, and hopefully, he is able to bring some magic to the capital of Spain as well.
Jurgen Klopp
Next is former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. After departing Liverpool at the end of last season, Klopp took an a backroom role working as the Head of Global Soccer for the Red Bull group.
However, reports have speculated this week that Klopp is becoming burned out with his role and is looking to return to managing with Real Madrid being one of the teams he has his eyes set on.
Klopp has been a named linked with Real Madrid many times in the past when he was still at Liverpool and now could finally be the time the club pounce on his availability.
Klopp is one of the greatest managers of all time, and the players he would have at his disposal at Real Madrid would be perfect for the style of play that he wants to start. Who knows, maybe he would even get Vinicius Jr and Kylian Mbappe to start pressing more.
Julian Nagelsmann
Finally, one that may sound strange to some is Julian Nagelsmann.
Another manager who has long been linked with Real Madrid, Nagelsmann could be an option to replace Ancelotti should he stay for one more season.
The German currently has a contract with the German National Team that runs through the 2026 FIFA World Cup, so any potential move to Real Madrid would have to wait for at least one more season.
Unless, of course, Real Madrid are so desperate for him that they buy his contract out for the remainder of the term. Of course, that may not happen.
Whether or not the club would be willing to stick with Ancelotti for that much longer remains to be seen.