Real Madrid have identified Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi as a top candidate to replace Carlo Ancelotti next summer, according to reports.
Los Blancos have been on the hunt for a new head coach following the announcement that Ancelotti will end his second spell with the La Liga giants at the end of the season.
The former Chelsea and Everton boss is set to take over the Brazil national team next June, just a few weeks before the start of the 2024 Copa America.
Ancelotti has said that he would like to see a former Real star take the reins at the Santiago Bernabeu, with Xabi Alonso the name most closely linked with the job.
The Liverpool and Real legend began his managerial career just last year with Bayer Leverkusen and has impressed so far, recently signing a new long-term contract with the Bundesliga side.
But according to Spanish outlet Cadena, there is another name high on Real’s shortlist: De Zerbi.
The Italian joined Brighton early into last season following Graham Potter’s ill-fated move to Chelsea and has very quickly established himself as one of the Premier League’s best and most exciting managers.
Carlo Ancelotti is the only manager to have won four Champions Leagues
He guided the Seagulls to the FA Cup semi-finals and a sixth-place finish, qualifying the club for European competition for the first time in its history.
Despite losing many of their best players over the summer, including Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister, Brighton have continued their fine form in 2023/24, with the side third in the table after five wins in six matches.
De Zerbi, who previously managed Sassuolo and Shakhtar Donetsk, currently has a contract at the Amex until 2026.
While the selection process is still in its early phases, Real greatly admires the 44-year-old, especially for the way his side plays free-flowing, attacking football, and views him as a viable candidate alongside the likes of Alonso and fellow club legends Raul and Alvaro Arbeloa.
Ancelotti will of course be a hard act to follow, having won many trophies with Los Blancos over his two spells, including the La Liga title and two Champions Leagues.
For now, De Zerbi is preparing Brighton for Wednesday night’s Carabao Cup clash at Chelsea, which will be followed by a league meeting at Aston Villa, which, if results align, could send the club to the top of the table.