Xabi Alonso will become the new Real Madrid head coach ahead of the Club World Cup, according to Sky in Germany.
The Spaniard will replace Carlo Ancelotti, who is to take charge of the Brazil national team from May 26 after finishing the season at Real Madrid.
Alonso announced his Bayer Leverkusen exit on Friday after a successful two-and-a-half years at the German club, having won a league and cup double last season and falling just short of a remarkable unbeaten treble with defeat to Atalanta in the Europa League final.
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The 43-year-old won nearly everything as a player at Real Madrid and is set to try to win more silverware as a manager at the Bernabeu.
Sky in Germany understands that Leverkusen have agreed to release him a year early from his contract, initially due to run until the summer of 2026, which would allow the ex-Liverpool midfielder to join Real Madrid for free.
Alonso's first game in charge of the Spanish giants is set to be on June 18 for Real's Club World Cup opener against Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal in Miami.
'Alonso would need to hit the ground running - Ancelotti a tough act to follow'
Sky Sports News' chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol:
"I know we shouldn't jump the gun, but everybody in football knows.
"Alonso, on Friday, announced he'd be leaving Bayer Leverkusen. He won the double there last season. A lot of people thought he'd go to Liverpool, but he decided to stay an extra season.
"He's got a gentleman's agreement with Leverkusen that if one of the clubs that he played for came in for him, then he'd be allowed to leave. So we're talking Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid.
"Sky Germany this afternoon reported they think he will definitely be the Real Madrid manager - and also he will be in place for the Club World Cup next month.
"Their first game is on June 18 against Al Hilal in Miami, so he's somebody else who's not really going to be getting much of a summer holiday, but then Real Madrid don't come calling very often.
"He'll have his work cut out because, make no mistake, Carlo Ancelotti is a very tough act to follow.
"We've seen how good Barcelona have been under Hansi Flick this season, so he needs to really hit the ground running because you don't get much time at Real Madrid. Of course, he has some credit in the bank because he was such a fantastic player, not only in Madrid, but everywhere else he played."
Ancelotti to become new Brazil boss
Alonso's imminent arrival comes after the news current Real boss, Ancelotti, will become Brazil head coach at the end of the season.
The 65-year-old will become the nation's first permanent foreign head coach, and will be in charge for Brazil's World Cup qualifiers against Paraguay and Ecuador next month.
In a statement, the Brazilian FA (CBF) hailed the "landmark moment of the coming together of two icons", highlighting their unrivalled five World Cup wins and Ancelotti's historic record in European football.
This will be Ancelotti's first international role, but he will take over Brazil as one of the most decorated managers in club football and the only coach to win each of Europe's top-five leagues.
The world's most successful international team have been on the lookout for their fifth head coach in two-and-a-half years since the dismissal of Dorival Junior at the end of March.
Since his return for his second spell in the Spanish capital in 2021, Ancelotti has led Real Madrid to a pair of LaLiga and Champions League doubles, but following Sunday's El Clasico defeat to Barcelona is all-but certain to miss out on any silverware in his final season.
He will leave the Bernabeu for the final time the day after their last game of the LaLiga season against Real Sociedad.
