Xabi Alonso is once again the star of the European coaching market. The former Real Madrid manager is said to have turned down a formal offer to become Olympique de Marseille’s new manager amid growing rumors about his possible future at Liverpool.
RMCSport reports that Alonso immediately rejected an offer from the French club, which is searching for a new manager following the departure of manager Roberto De Zerbi. The Spaniard’s decision is said to be motivated by a lack of organizational stability and internal tensions within Marseille’s club management.
Xabi Alonso’s time at Real Madrid
Alonso left his job at Real Madrid in January, just six months after replacing Carlo Ancelotti as head coach at the start of the 2025-26 season. His resignation came after a series of episodes that marked a turning point in his short spell in charge of the Spanish giants.
One of the most talked about moments was the 3-2 loss to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final. A few days later, a video went viral in which Kylian Mbappé and Rodrygo apparently ignored Alonso’s instructions to act as a guard of honor for the opposition, an act that reflected the coach’s loss of authority within the dressing room.
Shortly after, the club announced his resignation and was replaced by Alvaro Arbeloa on an interim basis.
Marseille, abandoned project
According to information released in France, Alonso is currently looking for a more robust sporting and institutional project away from a club currently embroiled in internal strife and a leadership dispute. This attitude is said to have been a decisive factor in Marseille’s exclusion, even though Marseille had expressed interest in bringing in a manager like him.
Liverpool appears on the horizon
Meanwhile, Alonso’s name is once again associated with the Liverpool bench. The English side are in Arne Slott’s second season as manager and, while they are not in immediate danger, there are questions about their failure to reproduce the level they showed last season.
Alonso is seen by England as a potential replacement should the board decide to start a new cycle at Anfield, and the Spanish manager will likely continue to be in the media spotlight over the coming months.
important facts
Xabi Alonso rejects chance to manage Olympique de Marseille The main reason will be internal instability at the French club.He spent just six months at Real Madrid.Liverpool has emerged as a possible future destination.The manager is looking for a stable and sustainable project.
