Mourinho, Pochettino, Allegri: The Managers Real Madrid Are Considering as Arbeloa’s Future Grows Uncertain

Real Madrid’s season has taken a troubling trajectory. The club has been eliminated from the Champions League and currently sit closer to third-place Villarreal than La Liga leaders Barcelona, raising serious questions about the future of head coach Alvaro Arbeloa.

Arbeloa stepped into the role following Xabi Alonso’s departure in January 2026. By comparison, Alonso left the Bernabeu having recorded a win ratio of 74% in La Liga. Arbeloa, despite having played five fewer league games than his predecessor, has already accumulated more losses — his win percentage stands at 64%. An early Copa del Rey defeat to second-tier Albacete, just 48 hours after he assumed charge, further complicated his position, though the timing offered some mitigation.

According to BBC Sport columnist Guillem Balague, who has covered Spanish football extensively, the key to understanding who Perez will appoint lies in understanding how the Real Madrid chairman thinks. “Perez does not care about style of play. He does not lose sleep over tactical identity or whether his team presses high or sits deep. What he cares about is winning, and more than that, managing — managing egos, stars, the dressing room.”

Balague identifies a recurring internal divide at the club. Club number two Jose Angel Sanchez reportedly advocates for tactically structured coaches who can impose organisational discipline — a school of thought that produced appointments such as Rafa Benitez, Julen Lopetegui, and most recently Alonso. None of those tenures extended beyond a few months. Perez, by contrast, has historically gravitated toward what Balague describes as “the grand manager” — figures like Zinedine Zidane and Carlo Ancelotti, who commanded authority through presence as much as tactical instruction. Ancelotti was appointed twice.

Of the names in circulation, Jose Mourinho has attracted the most attention. The Portuguese manager, who led Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013, winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup, is currently in charge of Benfica in Portugal, where his side sit second in Liga Portugal. His 2011-12 Real Madrid team accumulated 100 points in La Liga — a tally joint-highest in the history of the Spanish top flight.

Mourinho is contracted with Benfica until 2027, though sources suggest that arrangement contains exit provisions. Balague reports that Perez is the primary driver of the Mourinho conversation and that, whatever the manager says publicly, “he is desperate to return to the Bernabeu.” Mourinho’s conduct during the Gianluca Prestianni affair in Benfica’s Champions League encounter against Real Madrid is said to have strengthened, rather than damaged, his standing with the club’s president. However, sources inside the club indicate the Mourinho option would only be pursued if other candidates are unavailable.

Mauricio Pochettino is described as well-placed among the alternatives. The Argentine has an established relationship with key figures at Real Madrid and has long been linked with the role. His work at Tottenham Hotspur, Paris Saint-Germain, and Chelsea — across varying squad profiles and ownership structures — is said to be well understood internally. The complicating factor is his current commitment to the United States national team ahead of the 2026 World Cup, which raises questions over availability and timing should the tournament run deep into the summer.

French national team manager Didier Deschamps is another candidate whose name has been raised. His contract with France expires after the World Cup, at which point he would become available. Balague notes that Deschamps manages large squads of high-profile personalities with composure and without ideological rigidity — a quality Perez reportedly values. The presence of Kylian Mbappe and a significant contingent of French internationals at the club also creates a natural connection.

AC Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri is described as a serious option. Experienced with elite players and aligned with the managerial profile Perez favours — in the mould of compatriot Ancelotti — Allegri has reportedly attracted Real Madrid’s interest on previous occasions. Sources familiar with Serie A have also noted that 40-year-old Croatia midfielder Luka Modric, who departed the Bernabeu to join AC Milan last summer, could potentially return alongside his manager. Both Allegri and Modric have publicly denied interest in such a move, though Balague reports the scenario has been discussed at club level.

Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has also been mentioned in connection with the vacancy, with Balague noting his name carries weight — though reservations about his suitability for the specific demands of the Bernabeu exist within the club.