Carlo Ancelotti in running to replace Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid
By Max Cooper
Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti is under consideration to replace Zinedine Zidane as Real Madrid manager, should the Frenchman leave the club as expected.
The Italian boss was in charge of los Merengues for two seasons from 2013 to 2015, winning the Champions League in his first campaign at the helm. He was sacked at the end of his second year with the club, but could be set for a dramatic return this summer.
The Mirror report that Madrid are considering Ancelotti as the successor to Zidane, who looks likely to leave the club at the end of the current campaign.
Zidane has done an impressive job since returning to the Spanish capital in March 2019, winning the La Liga title and leading his side to a possible defence of their crown this year. But the Frenchman has grown weary of the stresses and pressures of management at Santiago Bernabeu, and could walk away once the season finishes.
The Madrid boss is believed to have told his players that he will leave after their final clash of the campaign against Villarreal, irrespective of whether they win another La Liga title.
That would leave a gaping hole for Florentino Perez to fill, and there is a growing belief that Everton boss Ancelotti could get the call. He has worked well at Goodison Park since arriving in December 2019, guiding the Toffees into contention for European qualification, while turning Dominic Calvert-Lewin into one of the most in-form strikers in the Premier League.
The Merseysiders sit eighth in the Premier League heading into the final weeks of the season, but still have a realistic chance of sealing a top six finish and qualifying for the Europa League.
Ancelotti is known for his ability to manage egos and to keep a group of superstars satisfied, and that skill would be vital at a club like Madrid - where a collection of the highest paid footballers on the planet walk the corridors.