Two Premier League icons on Real Madrid radar as they look for a new manager | OneFootball

Following a bruising Champions League exit at the hands of Bayern Munich and a frustrating La Liga campaign that sees Los Blancos languishing nine points behind arch-rivals Barcelona, the patience of the boardroom has seemingly run dry. According to Daily Mail, Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez is already preparing for life after Alvaro Arbeloa, pinpointing two absolute heavyweight candidates to take over: Jurgen Klopp and Mauricio Pochettino.

If Pérez has his way, Klopp is the ultimate dream appointment.

Jurgen Klopp is wanted by Real Madrid

Since stepping away from the emotional pressure-cooker of Liverpool back in 2024, the German tactician has been serving in a strategic oversight role within the Red Bull football empire.

However, Madrid is a club that currently desperately needs a transformative, charismatic figure capable of uniting a fractured dressing room of superstars and delivering major honours.

Klopp is a proven culture-builder and a serial winner. The only massive question mark is whether he is genuinely ready to step back into the relentless, exhausting grind of elite-level management.

Mauricio Pochettino is another manager on their radar

Pochettino is a highly attractive and practical alternative.

Currently gearing up to lead the United States Men’s National Team into the massive 2026 World Cup on home soil, the Argentine’s stock has remained surprisingly high in Madrid.

Los Blancos have previously courted him during his stints at Tottenham and Chelsea, but the timing never quite matched.

Pochettino’s proven track record of nurturing elite young talent makes him a perfect mentor for Real Madrid’s rising phenoms like Arda Güler and Francisco Mastantuono.

The writing seems to be firmly on the wall for Arbeloa. Promoted from the Castilla youth setup just a few months ago in January to replace Xabi Alonso, the enormous step up to the first team simply looks like a bridge too far for the 43-year-old.

The sheer weight of a potentially trophyless season is an unforgivable sin in Madrid.

Whether it’s the high-octane passion of Klopp or the tactical, talent-nurturing approach of Pochettino, a massive managerial change is expected soon at Real Madrid.