Bayer Leverkusen have officially confirmed that manager Xabi Alonso will depart the club at the conclusion of the season.
Alonso, who was relatively unproven in top-tier management when he joined Leverkusen in 2022—having previously managed only Real Sociedad’s B team—quickly forged a formidable reputation. In just two years, the former midfield maestro led Leverkusen to an unbeaten Bundesliga title run, attracting interest from Europe’s elite clubs.
While Bayern Munich and Liverpool were among those reportedly keen on acquiring his services, Alonso declined their advances. Long-time admirers Real Madrid, however, are believed to remain focused on bringing him to the Santiago Bernabéu. With current Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti expected to step down at the end of the campaign, reports on Friday suggested Alonso has already agreed to a three-year deal with the Spanish giants.
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News of Alonso’s impending departure brings that potential move closer to reality. His decision to leave comes a year before his contract was set to expire.
In a statement, Alonso expressed deep gratitude to the club and its supporters:
“I owe great thanks to Bayer 04 Leverkusen, my players and staff, all the employees of the club and last but not least the fantastic fans,” he said. “Our success was the result of an outstanding team performance.
“This club, who showed exceptional trust in me, very much deserved to win the German league title for the first time. My thanks and admiration go to everybody who helped to make this triumph happen, including the DFB Pokal win in Berlin. Bayer 04 are ready for the future. The positive path will continue and I will be excited to follow it.”
