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Former Manchester United: As the Bundesliga encounter in Freiburg approaches this Sunday, the ongoing speculation surrounding Leverkusen's Spanish star coach Xabi Alonso continues to intensify. While Alonso appeared relaxed and kept his future plans secret during the pre-match press conference, the well-informed sports magazine Kicker reported that "a deal close to being sealed" regarding his successor is underway.

The magazine named former Ajax and Manchester United coach Erik ten Hag as Bayer Leverkusen's new head coach for the 2025-26 season, describing the negotiations as a "fairly done thing", reports Xinhua.

According to Kicker, Leverkusen's officials are informed about their coach's intentions to succeed Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid. And the answer of the 2024 German champions is to secure a behind-the-scenes agreement with the 55-year-old Dutch tactician. The question now is not if, but when the official announcement will be made, the magazine added.