Real Madrid next manager: Top five best candidates to replace Alvaro Arbeloa

Los Blancos will now have consecutive trophyless seasons.

Managing Spanish giants Real Madrid is not an easy task. The current manager, Alvaro Arbeloa, took over the LaLiga giants in January 2026 after the sacking of Xabi Alonso. He has not done enough and Los Blancos are set to go another season without winning any trophies.

There are several reports which are linking different managerial options for Los Blancos after another poor campaign. When Xabi Alonso joined Real Madrid at the beginning of the 2025-26 season, things looked good. As the season went on, things started going wrong.

Real Madrid have been knocked out of the UEFA Champions League. They also missed out on winning the FIFA Club World Cup, Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup. The current scenario also suggests that Barcelona are most likely to become the LaLiga champions.

As per some reports, Alvaro Arbeloa will be sent back to managing the club’s youth side at the end of the season. Los Blancos are now looking for another manager in just less than five months. Taking over as the head coach of Real Madrid can be a highlight for any manager. As the most successful football club in the world and the most decorated European club, any manager can be under pressure from day one.

The Spanish giants will be looking at some experienced options this time around, as the previous two managers have also struggled while managing the dressing room.

Best candidates to become new Real Madrid manager

Didier Deschamps

His tenure as the France national football team manager will end after the FIFA World Cup 2026. Didier Deschamps can be a great option to replace Álvaro Arbeloa. Real Madrid are known for winning trophies and Deschamps in recent years has led star-studded France to winning the World Cup in 2018 and then the UEFA Nations League in 2020-21.

Les Bleus also came close to winning the Euros on multiple occasions and the FIFA World Cup in 2022, but finished as runners-up. If Los Blancos are looking for an option who have won big in the past, then Deschamps can be a good pick.

Jürgen Klopp

The German manager can be another great pick for Real Madrid as their head coach. During the recent interviews, he has been asked about his views, but has denied any contact from the club’s side.

Jürgen Klopp became a renowned name after his stints with Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool. He has won a total of 13 major trophies as a manager and is a very good option for Los Blancos. He has managed the dressing rooms with big stars and can become a solution for their ongoing problems.

Jose Mourinho

Currently managing Portuguese side Benfica, Jose Mourinho is considered one of the best managers of all time. He is an experienced manager who has won UEFA Champions League titles with FC Porto and Inter Milan in the past. ‘The Special One’ has won a total of 26 trophies in his managerial career.

Jose Mourinho has previously managed Real Madrid (2010-13). Even though he failed to win the UCL during his time with the Spanish giants, he secured LaLiga, Copa del Rey, and Supercopa de España titles. Even though he has reportedly refused any probabilities of aligning with Los Blancos once again, Mourinho can get Madrid back up.

Julian Nagelsmann

Reportedly, Julian Nagelsmann has been offered to Real Madrid as a manager. There has been no statement confirming the reports as of now. The current Germany national football team manager can be a decent option for the Spanish giants.

Although he has only managed the German clubs before, he has won three major trophies, and that too with a star-studded Bayern Munich side. Julian Nagelsmann is currently doing well with Germany and has the experience to manage dressing rooms well. He can be another option for Los Blancos to look at.

Andoni Iraola

Andoni Iraola will be done with his tenure as the AFC Bournemouth manager in June 2026. He has put in some decent performances with the Premier League side this season, but the Cherries’ expansive and exciting play style has acught the eye.

He has achieved the highest win rate (35%) as compared to any previous Bournemouth manager in the Premier League. Not only that, he has developed players such as Dean Huijsen, Ilya Zabarnyi, Antoine Semenyo and many more into top players.

He was a manager for Rayo Vallecano in the past and helped them get promoted to LaLiga during the 2020-21 season. As compared to the other options, he might not be very outstanding, but Real Madrid are likely to have a look at Iraola.

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