Xabi Alonso has played down the speculation linking him with the Tottenham and Real Madrid jobs, insisting that he is fully focused on the job at hand at Bayer Leverkusen.
Alonso has had a transformative effect at Leverkusen since taking over last October, with the club now battling it out for the Champions League and Europa League spots – something that not many would have foreseen at the start of the season.
The Spaniard’s reputation has blossomed as a result and it was reported by De Telegraaf earlier this week that he had emerged as the shock leading contender to take over at Tottenham.
The publication asserted that Alonso’s experience of playing in the biggest clubs in Europe such as Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich elevated him ahead of the likes of Arne Slot in the eyes of the Spurs hierarchy.
It has also been suggested over the last few days that the 41-year-old could be a shock contender to replace Carlo Ancelotti at the Santiago Bernabeu (Cadena SER).
When asked about the speculation linking him with the Spurs and Real Madrid jobs, Alonso has now told Stadium Astro:
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“I’ve been in football for many years, rumours are normal but we still have a lot to achieve.
“That’s why my head is 100 per cent here for the last few months. And my head is also 100 per cent here for next season”.
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As one would expect, this is a diplomatic response by Alonso, which certainly does not rule out a move to either Spurs or Real Madrid.
However, I suspect that he would have to prove himself for at least another year at Leverkusen or a similar-sized club to become a realistic contender for those roles.
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