Bayer Leverkusen managing director Simon Rolfes is adamant Xabi Alonso will still be in charge next season amid links with Real Madrid.
With uncertainty hanging over the long-term future of Carlo Ancelotti, Alonso has been touted for a sensational return to the Bernabeu. The World Cup winner’s deal with Die Werkself runs until 2026 but various reports have suggested that the Spaniard could take the reins in Spain’s capital city.
Superstar playmaker Florian Wirtz has also been tipped for a summer exit but Bayer chief Rolfes is confident the duo will remain with the Bundesliga champions. Asked by Sky Germany if he’s confident the pair will still be around next term, Rolfes emphatically declared: “Yes.”
Wirtz is tied down for another two-and-a-half years and Rolfes said: “Both of them are under contract here, and they’re feeling very comfortable. Florian’s development has been incredible. We’d love to keep him long-term, but there is no signature yet. If there was one, we’d have announced it already.”
Meanwhile, Alonso has built a stellar reputation since beginning his managerial career and broke Bayern Munich’s dominance in Germany when he led Bayer to an undefeated title-winning season. Rolfes added: “Xabi knows that he has a team around him that matches his ambition. And he feels he’s the important part of what we’re trying to do.”