Real Madrid’s five next manager options with Carlo Ancelotti set for Brazil role next year – Paper Round

Carlo Ancelotti will become Brazil’s new head coach next year, Globo in Brazil reports, leading to speculation as to who could replace him at Real Madrid.

The Italian has one year remaining on his current contract at the Spanish club, and with the Brazil role said to be a done deal, the five names linked with taking charge of Real from the 2024-25 season are club legend Raul, Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso, Roma’s Jose Mourinho, plus Julian Nagelsmann and Antonio Conte.

On the possibility of Mourinho returning to Madrid, Mundo Deportivo writes: “It is perhaps more a 'romantic' desire for the Madrid fans than a reality, but just as it happened with Ancelotti, the Portuguese has never hidden his love for Real Madrid and a return would undoubtedly be a great chapter for everyone.”

Tottenham now lead the race to sign James Maddison with the Leicester midfielder preferring a move to Spurs over rival clubs interested in the England international, the Daily Mail reports. Newcastle have also been linked with Maddison, but the lure of Champions League football in the North East may not be enough to attract him. Spurs are hoping to sign both Maddison and his Leicester team-mate Harvey Barnes, while one midfielder could be leaving the London club.

The Mail adds: “Spurs may be ready to cut ties with midfielder Pierre Emile-Hojbjerg. The Denmark international has two years left on contract and is unsure about committing to a further deal.

“New manager Ange Postecoglou is happy to move on while 27-year-old Hojbjerg is attracting interest from Premier League and Bundesliga clubs, including Bayern Munich.”

Rivals of both Chelsea and Wolves are calling for “fair market investigations into Saudi Arabia’s dramatic haul of big-money signings”.

The Telegraph reports: “One top club says teams are using the Saudi Pro League as a “get out of FFP jail free card” while the state embarks on its £500m player spree. The league, which has already signed Karim Benzema this summer, is now turning its attention to Premier League targets.

“Telegraph Sport understands the competition, underwritten by Saudi’s Public Investment Fund, is in London this week to clinch a host of deals. It is thought Chelsea alone were originally presented with a proposal for five players amounting to more than £100 million - although one of them, Romelu Lukaku, has since rejected an offer.

“With negotiations at various different stages for Hakim Ziyech, Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, rivals are demanding scrutiny, not least because the deals could play a major part in ensuring Chelsea and other clubs are able to meet the Premier League’s financial rules next year.

"Wolves could also take a major step towards satisfying FFP after agreeing a £47m deal to sell captain Ruben Neves to Al Hilal.”

Marcus Rashford is on the verge of signing a new Manchester United contract that would make the England striker among the top earners at the club, the Telegraph reports. Talks are at an advanced stage as Rashford enters the final 12 months of his current deal, and reports suggest he will make an estimated £250,000 per week after a season where he scored 30 goals in all competitions.

The Telegraph adds: “A well-placed source said talks were “progressing well” and that, while they still had to get a deal over the line, relations were strong among both parties. “We’d like to think it’s a matter of time now,” the source added.

“The impending new contract will catapult him among United’s highest earners and follows an impressive season when he responded to one of the toughest periods of his career by scoring 30 goals.”