Carlo Ancelotti is walking a tightrope. After the heavy 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-final first leg, the Italian manager’s future at Real Madrid seems more uncertain than ever.

While speculation about his potential departure had already been swirling, this latest result may have accelerated the countdown. And now, a surprising claim has added fuel to the fire.

Speaking on Cadena COPE, well-known Spanish journalist Paco González dropped a bombshell: “Before the match, around noon, someone well-informed told me that we shouldn’t look any further, that Xabi Alonso is already signed. I don’t know anything about it, but there are people who say it’s a done deal.”

According to him, Real Madrid may have already secured its next coach. If true, the appointment of the former midfielder — currently impressing in Germany with Bayer Leverkusen — would mark a return to the Bernabéu for a club legend and usher in a new era starting this summer.