Carlo Ancelotti has spoken out about his Real Madrid future as the Italian boss prepares to enter his final 12 months contracted at the club. The former Chelsea manager was asked about where he sees himself in the coming year ahead of the Champions League quarter-final, second leg tie at Stamford Bridge.
Having already spent two seasons at SW6, winning the double and finishing second in his final year before being brutally sacked on the final day of the season, Ancelotti is amongst the names linked for the vacant head coach role. Although it appears he is an outsider, with Julian Nagelsmann and Luis Enrique the favourites for the post.
That doesn't mean that his decision moving forward won't still impact Chelsea's search for a third permanent manager in under one year of the new ownership group taking over. Due to a complex merry-go-round expected in the summer, Ancelotti could yet play a major role in who ends up sitting in the hot seat come the start of the 2023/24 season.
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When posed with what he had planned though, the serial European Cup winner was clear on his ideal circumstances. "You want me to clear up my situation?," he said. "My situation, I have already said it, I don't like to speak about this but I said this in Spain and I repeat here. I have a contract here until 2024 and so I would like to stay in Real Madrid."
That puts to bed the chances of a miraculous return to London but it also has a knock-on effect. Madrid, who have reportedly been readying themselves to lose Ancelotti with the prospect of him taking on the Brazil national team job, are huge admirers of ex-Bayern Munich coach Nagelsmann.
He is one of the front-runners for the Chelsea job but with a thorough process of narrowing candidates underway in west London, there is no certainty that the 35-year-old will say yes, especially not if Los Blancos or Paris Saint-Germain were to come calling. The French giants are likewise in a position to pounce.
Christoher Gaultier could find himself out of a job come the summer, therefore opening up the chance of the Parisians also looking at Nagelsmann as their next coach. Tottenham are also in the mix for the German too, having sacked Antonio Conte last month.
With Ancelotti nailing himself down at Santiago Bernabeau moving forward it seemingly gives Chelsea a better chance of being successful should they go in for Nagelsmann.
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