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Xabi Alonso could soon be on the move after last season's Bundesliga heroics
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Xabi Alonso is arguably the most exciting prospect on the managerial market right now after a remarkable campaign last season with Bayer Leverkusen. The former Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid midfielder guided the German giants to their first-ever Bundesliga title and did so unbeaten, becoming the first team to achieve the feat in Germany. This remarkable run has unsurprisingly drawn plenty of interest from Europe's biggest clubs over the past year, with speculation expected to rage on until at least next summer. The Spaniard - who ranked at no. 3 in Four Four Two's list of the best managers in the world right now - gained plenty of plaudits over the summer after turning down reported interest from Liverpool and elsewhere, opting to stay and build on Leverkusen's historic campaign. This loyalty was met by a number of key players, such as Victor Boniface, Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong who all turned down moves elsewhere to remain under Alonso's guidance. Despite last season's achievements, Leverkusen has made a stumbling start to the current Bundesliga season, sitting in fourth having won just four of their first 10 games. However, according to the Daily Mirror, Alonso is set to announce his departure from the club at the end of the season, placing Manchester City and Real Madrid on high alert. The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week. The former Madrid man has been heavily linked to a return to the Bernabeu over the past few months having been touted as the long-term heir to Carlo Ancelotti, who seems destined to depart at the end of his deal. Manchester City are also likely to be sniffing around the Spaniard in the coming months as Pep Guardiola continues to delay a formal decision regarding his future at the Etihad. To make matters worse for the Bundesliga outfit, rumours continue to swirl around their star players, with Wirtz also heavily linked to Real Madrid while interest in Frimpong from Manchester United appears to be growing following Ruben Amorim's appointment. James Ridge is a freelance journalist based in the UK. He recently spent time with The United Stand as an online news editor and has covered the beautiful game from England’s eighth tier all the way to the Premier League. Manchester United ready to offer player and cash SWAP in order to secure Victor Gyokeres deal: report Manchester United star responds to bizarre ARREST claims following long-awaited comeback 'It's been a joy and a privilege': Gary Lineker breaks silence on Match of the Day departure Four Four Two is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site. ©
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