Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti has, late on Sunday, moved to provide some clarity on his future with the club.
For those not aware, the subject of the bench at the Santiago Bernabeu has taken its place front and centre in the Spanish media headlines across the week to date.
This comes for a pair of reasons.
First, off, current Blancos boss Ancelotti being persistently tipped to spring a surprise, in taking up the reins of the Brazilian national team in the near future.
And, in turn, the leading media outlets both in Spain, and across Europe, speculating as to just who could replace the beloved Italian in, perhaps, the most high-profile managerial position in world football.
To this point, former Tottenham Hotspur and Paris Saint-Germain headmaster Mauricio Pochettino has been widely labelled as the favourite for the post.
Nice, France. 05th Mar, 2022. Mauricio Pochettino during the French championship Ligue 1 football match between OGC Nice (OGCN) and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at Allianz Riviera stadium in Nice, France – Photo: Jean Catuffe (Alamy Stock Photo)
And, for those hopeful of the 63-year-old ultimately springing a surprise in staying put beyond the close of his current terms with Real Madrid in the summer of 2024, the news will mark something of a boost.
This comes with Ancelotti having confirmed that, having already βclarified my futureβ, he would be happy to remain in Spainβs capital for the coming decade if afforded the opportunity:
Carlo Ancelotti: βIβm confident because of the players I have and the backing I have from the club. Iβve clarified my future alreadyβ. π¨βͺοΈ #RealMadrid
βMy contract ends in 2024 and my plan is to fulfil it. If Real Madrid are happy, thenβ¦ I will stay until 2034!β. pic.twitter.com/AoiLJzarsb
β Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) April 2, 2023
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