Trainer before changing
Leverkusen probably has these Alonso successors in view
04/30/2025 – 9:45 a.m.Reading time: 2 min.
Real Madrid wants to win Xabi Alonso as a new trainer. Leverkusen is prepared – and probably already has an entire list of possible successors.
For Leverkusen, this means that the factory club has to find a new man on the sidelines that can continue the successful time under Alonso, including the first German championship in club history.
As the “Sport Bild” now reports, the club managers around sports managing director Simon Rolfes are said to have been prepared and have already put together an entire list of possible Alonso successors.
The first name on the list is said to be Francesco Farioli. The Italian has been training the Dutch top club Ajax Amsterdam since last summer. Under his leadership, the club will probably be champion again after having missed the title two seasons in a row.
Before his time in Amsterdam, Farioli already worked in Nice and Turkey near Karagümrük and Alanyaspor in Turkey. According to the report, Leverkusen could buy the Italian free for an exit clause of around five million euros.
Another candidate on the list is said to have run up as a player for the competitor from FC Bayern, according to “Sport Bild”. His name: Martín Demichelis. The 44-year-old Argentinier is currently a coach of CF Monterrey in Mexico, was already training River Plate in his homeland and was a young coach at Bayern Munich.
According to the report, Sandro Wagner is said to be a third candidate. The 37-year-old just announced his farewell as a assistant coach of Julian Nagelsmann at the German national team after the final Four of the Nations League. Wagner has a good connection to Leverkusen through DFB sports director Rudi Völler. Nevertheless, according to the “Sport Bild”, he only has outsiders.
The fourth candidate is also a German: The Leverkusen Scouts Fabian Hürzeler has been following for several years. Last summer, the 32-year-old switched to Brighton & Hove Albion to the Premier League after led FC St. Pauli to promotion to the Bundesliga.
The goal of international football will probably miss Brighton, according to “Sport Bild” there is no co-criterion for Leverkusen. In the Bundesliga game near St. Pauli, the club bosses are said to have inquired intensively about Hürzeler and have been reinforced by him in their high opinion.
Other names on the list are also the former Danish national coach Kasper Hjulmand and ex-FC-Barcelona coach Xavi. Hjulmand was considered a candidate in Leverkusen before Alonso and its predecessor Gerardo Seoane. XAVI is free of charge, but is not considered a rousing trainer and therefore have little chance.