Jurgen Klopp overtaken in Real Madrid manager race with ‘ruthless’ Perez to sack Arbeloa | OneFootball

Mauricio Pochettino has emerged as a serious rival to Jurgen Klopp for the Real Madrid job, it has been revealed, with Alvaro Arbeloa in line to be sacked.

Real Madrid look set to end a second season without a single trophy following their Champions League defeat at the hands of Bayern Munich. Los Blancos were beaten 4-3 in Bavaria on Wednesday night and 6-4 on aggregate in their quarter-final tie.

Madrid were left incensed by Eduardo Camavinga’s controversial second yellow card for stopping Bayern from taking a quick free-kick.

But the reality is Madrid have not been good enough this season. They have fallen nine points behind LaLiga leaders Barcelona, lost the Supercopa final to Hansi Flick’s side and were shockingly knocked out of the Copa del Rey by second-tier Albacete.

Zinedine Zidane is the only manager not sacked by Madrid president Florentino Perez after a trophyless campaign, with Arbeloa in doomed territory.

The Athletic’s Madrid correspondent, Mario Cortegana, has revealed that the ‘ruthless’ Perez is highly likely to fire Arbeloa at the end of the season.

The 43-year-old only replaced Xabi Alonso in January, but he too looks set to be given his marching orders.

Klopp has been heavily linked with a move to the Bernabeu. Taking charge of Madrid, arguably the biggest club in the world, is one of the few opportunities that could tempt the German back onto the touchline.

Cortegana names Klopp as an option under consideration but adds that the Liverpool legend is currently looking to stay in his role as Red Bull’s head of global football.

If Klopp snubs Madrid’s approaches this summer, then Perez will have to pursue different targets.

The report states that Pochettino is a ‘stronger candidate’ than Klopp as things stand.

Whereas Klopp appears happy in his role at Red Bull, Pochettino could be tempted to leave his job as USMNT manager after the World Cup.

Pochettino has ‘always been highly regarded by Perez’, meaning the Argentine replacing Arbeloa could become a concrete possibility.

Cortegana also names Zidane and Didier Deschamps also possible options for Perez.

Zidane is a free agent and has great respect from Perez after remarkably guiding the club to three straight Champions League triumphs between 2016 and 2018.

But Zidane has set his sights on replacing Deschamps as France manager after the World Cup.

That means that come the summer, Deschamps will likely be the free agent Madrid can explore.

Deschamps has won the World Cup and UEFA Nations League with France, though he has not been in club management since 2012.