Carlo Ancelotti is reportedly set to leave Real Madrid at the end of the season. Los Blancos suffered a disappointing Champions League exit at the hands of Arsenal earlier this week, having invested huge sums of money in a bid to retain a title they have won 15 times.
Ancelotti will have several options if he does step down from the Spanish giants. A return to the Premier League, where he has managed Chelsea and Everton, cannot be ruled out. Express Sport looks at six of his options.
Everton
Ancelotti may believe he has unfinished business at Goodison Park. Nothing was going to stop the 65-year-old from returning to Madrid in 2021, and he left Everton on good terms.
That was, of course, under a previous regime, but Everton’s new owners will not turn their noses up at Ancelotti. David Moyes has enjoyed an excellent start on his return, though, and does not seem likely to leave any time soon.
Enzo Maresca may squeeze into next season, but there is growing discontent among Chelsea fans over their form in the second half of the season. The Italian had the Blues playing some brilliant football before Christmas, and there was an initial Premier League title challenge with Liverpool. But a naive and inexperienced squad have since fallen away.
Ancelotti managed Chelsea between 2009 and 2011, and he is one of only three men to guide the club to the Premier League title. He could be the man to do it again.
Perhaps the most realistic destination for Ancelotti is Spurs. With Ange Postecoglou’s future beyond the end of the season unclear, Daniel Levy could face another recruitment process at the end of the season.
Ancelotti will be an enticing option. He has worked well with young squads in the past, but he will demand the kind of backing that has not always been offered to Spurs bosses.
Only two men have managed both Everton and Liverpool. The most recent, Rafael Benitez, did not enjoy much success – or love – during his second spell on Merseyside. But Ancelotti might be able to win over Liverpool fans.
Arne Slot seems unlikely to leave in the near future, but many head coaches have been dismissed after poor starts to title defences. Ancelotti has been linked with Anfield before.
Nottingham Forest
Ancelotti patrolling the City Ground dugout seems far-fetched. But if Forest do eventually seal Champions League qualification and Nuno Espirito Santo has a tough start to next season, the super-ambitious owner Evangelos Marinakis will aim for the stars when recruiting his next head coach.
A club with a rich history and backed by strong resources could be a tempting move for Ancelotti, just like when he was persuaded by Everton in 2019.
Leeds
Another incredibly ambitious club who seem destined for the Premier League are Leeds. Daniel Farke’s Championship leaders are five points clear of third-placed Sheffield United with only four games remaining.
It did not quite happen for Marcelo Bielsa in Leeds’ second season following their last promotion in 2020. They were disappointingly relegated – having sacked Bielsa for Jesse Marsch – in 2023. But after a more positive first season, there was talk of aiming for Europe. Ancelotti might be able to take Leeds back to the continent.
Content Source: www.express.co.uk