Manchester City among five clubs to speak with former Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso | OneFootball

Xabi Alonso has spoken with Manchester City over potentially succeeding Pep Guardiola as Etihad Stadium head coach, according to new reports.

The managerial landscape in European football is currently standing on the precipice of a seismic shift, with the situation at Manchester City arguably the most-watched given Guardiola’s success at the club over the course of the last decade.

While Pep Guardiola remains under contract at City until the summer of 2027, the Catalan tactician has avoided committing to the final year of his deal, leading to widespread speculation that the 2025/26 campaign could be his last in the North West.

Manchester City’s sporting hierarchy, now led by director of football Hugo Viana, is believed to be taking a proactive approach to succession planning, especially when it comes to key roles on the pitch such as the task of replacing Bernardo Silva in midfield this summer.

Given City’s historic run of eight consecutive FA Cup semi-finals and their pursuit of a domestic double this month, the club are desperate to ensure any transition remains seamless, reportedly identifying Xabi Alonso as a candidate to carry forward the Guardiola legacy.

Xabi Alonso is in high demand across European football

According to a new report from FootballTransfers, Xabi Alonso has spoken to five different clubs as he prepares to return to management this summer, including those at the Etihad Stadium.

The report claims that along with Manchester City officials, Xabi Alonso has also spoken with those at Manchester United, Benfica, Sporting CP, and Porto ahead of a summer market that is expected to bring about plenty of managerial change.

From the side of the 44-year-old, Alonso is yet to make a decision on his preferred club for next season, but negotiations have been initiated with the Spaniard keen on a return to coaching in the immediate term.

Xabi Alonso’s availability follows an abrupt exit from Real Madrid in January 2026 – a tenure that followed his hugely successful tenure with Bayer Leverkusen, which featured a remarkable Bundesliga triumph.

Despite his departure from the Bernabéu, his reputation as one of the game’s most exciting young minds remains intact, particularly given his 2.37 points-per-La Liga-game record in the Spanish capital.

For Manchester City, they face a frantic end to the ongoing season, with a potentially title-deciding clash against Arsenal on April 26 looming large while the background noise regarding Pep Guardiola’s future stands as impossible to ignore.

If Xabi Alonso is indeed a potential successor, Hugo Viana will likely look to accelerate talks before the summer arrives, ensuring the club can continue their recruitment strategy under the vision of the Spaniard, as well as fending off competition for the manager.