Real Madrid Put Full Trust in Alvaro Arbeloa With Unexpected New Deal—Report

The club terminated Xabi Alonso’s three-year contract just seven months into his stint at the Bernabéu.

Álvaro Arbeloa is the next man tasked with leading Real Madrid. | Alberto Gardin/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images

New Real Madrid boss Álvaro Arbeloa reportedly signed a contract with the club that extends beyond this season, erasing any doubts over the status of his appointment.

Xabi Alonso saw his time at the Bernabéu come to an abrupt end just two weeks into the new year after he failed to lead Los Blancos to Spanish Super Cup glory against bitter rivals Barcelona. The 3–2 defeat in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, was the last game the 44-year-old managed for his former club.

Mere minutes after Real Madrid announced Alonso’s sudden exit, they confirmed Arbeloa as the “new coach of the first team.” Nowhere in the statement did the club specify whether the former defender would serve as an interim manager or the new permanent boss.

Amid the uncertainty, MARCA report Arbeloa is not a “temporary fix” until the end of the season. The Spaniard signed a deal to 2027, with the intent of leading the team beyond June and into the future.

Of course there is always the risk of the club terminating his contract should the Spanish giants fall even deeper into despair, a key factor Arbeloa hinted at when he said he would remain in the position for “as long as the club wants him.”

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Arbeloa Hoping to Follow in Zinedine Zidane’s Footsteps

Álvaro Arbeloa was promoted from Real Madrid Castilla to the first team. | Alberto Gardin/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images

Now tasked with arguably the toughest job in football, Arbeloa will have more pressure and eyes on him than ever before. The 42-year-old only spent seven months in charge of Real Madrid Castilla before getting called up to the first team’s touchline.

The blueprint for long-term success is there for Arbeloa—Zinedine Zidane took the same path in his managerial career at Real Madrid and became one of the club’s greatest bosses of all time. Across two stints, the Frenchman successfully led the team to 11 trophies, including three consecutive Champions League titles.

Arbeloa does not have Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema leading his line, but he does have Kylian Mbappé and Vinicius Junior. The challenge comes with finally getting the superstars, along with Rodrygo and Jude Bellingham, to play as a cohesive unit, something both Alonso and Carlo Ancelotti struggled to accomplish.

The new manager also must figure out a short-term solution to Los Blancos’ woes in the midfield until the club turns to the transfer market in the summer. The good news for Arbeloa, though, is that Dani Carvajal and Trent Alexander-Arnold are making strides in their respective recoveries, which will help strengthen his backline.

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