Real Madrid have sent shockwaves through European football by sacking Xabi Alonso, ending his tenure at the Santiago Bernabeu prematurely.

Despite arriving with a reputation as the continent’s brightest young tactical mind, a run of indifferent results and friction with the board has led President Florentino Pérez to pull the trigger.

However, the Spaniard is unlikely to be out of work for long, with Premier League giants already circling.

Man United on high alert as they search for permanent manager

(Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)

Manchester United officials are already on ‘high alert’ following the news of Alonso’s availability.

The Red Devils are currently in a state of flux, reportedly closing in on club legend Michael Carrick to take over as caretaker manager until the end of the season.

While Carrick is seen as the safe pair of hands needed to stabilize the ship immediately, the INEOS hierarchy is firmly focused on the summer.

Alonso will now among the primary targets to lead the next phase of the INEOS project.

However, bringing Alonso to Old Trafford will not be straightforward.

It is suggested that Jason Wilcox, United’s Technical Director, will need to convince the former midfielder that the structure at United is ready for him.

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