Santiago Solari Receives Offer to Stay at Real Madrid Despite Being Replaced by Zinedine Zidane

Santiago Solari has reportedly been offered the role of Real Madrid's academy director after being replaced by Zinedine Zidane as first team manager.

Solari, who's contract doesn't expire at the Santiago Bernabeu until 2021 was in charge of Madrid's Castilla youth team for two years before being appointed Los Blancos manager in October last year.

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With Castilla third in Segunda B Group 1, the Argentine wouldn't be replacing manager Manolo Diaz, but Marca has reported that Madrid are keen to keep their former player at the club in some capacity.

This is most likely to be a technical role within the club, with no academy director in place since Victor Fernandez left that role in June 2017.

Solari will now have the option to work alongside the returning Zidane who is a good friend of his, or to go and explore options away from the club he has spent six years coaching at and five years as a player.

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The 42-year-old was relieved of his duties as first team manager following the club's shock exit in the round 16 of the Champions League, as the 4-1 home defeat to Ajax was the last straw in what has been a disappointing season for Los Blancos.

That result followed back-to-back Clasico defeats to Barcelona and an exit from the Copa del Rey, which saw Solari leaves his role as manager with Madrid third in La Liga, 12 points behind the Catalan giants and five points behind city rivals Atletico. 

Zidane takes over the side he left in the summer with the goal of rebuilding the squad for next year and to try and restore some of the player's confidence. He is the third permanent manager at the club this season, following former Spain boss Julen Lopetegui's disastrous 14-game spell in charge at the Bernabeu and Solari's failure to keep Real in the race for silverware.