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Real Madrid next manager: Conte, Mourinho, Pochettino, Wenger - who can replace Lopetegui?
REAL MADRID are set to sack their manager Julen Lopetegui today - but who will replace the Spaniard?
Real Madrid: Julen Lopetegui responds to sacking rumours
Real Madrid have endured a miserable time under Julen Lopetegui and the boss is set to get the sack.
Real’s board will meet at 6pm UK time today to discuss what to do with Lopetegui.
He is expected to be axed and Real are already working on landing a replacement.
But who will come in for the manager? Here, Express Sport looks at the top contenders.
Next Real Madrid manager contenders
Antonio Conte
The clear choice. Antonio Conte is out of work after being sacked by Chelsea in the summer. He still has eight months left on his £9m-a-season Chelsea contract but his lawyers are working on resolving that.
Conte has been the bookmakers’ favourite for the position for weeks now and Real seem happy with him.
However, reports in Spain today suggest there may be a sticking point.
Conte would want full control of the team - something Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and the board often struggle to surrender.
Sergio Ramos is also supposedly not a fan of the Italian and the Real captain holds great weight with Perez at the Bernabeu.
Jose Mourinho
This now looks dead in the water despite a number of Spanish publications running reports that Real were ready to bring back Jose Mourinho last week.
Manchester United are just about getting along with Mourinho at the helm - they scraped past Everton at the weekend.
The pressure has not lifted from the Portuguese boss but United are unlikely to sack him just yet.
And his mega contract at Old Trafford would require plenty of work to resolve before he could rock up at the Bernabeu.
Mauricio Pochettino
Tottenham do not want to lose their manager and will fight to the bitter end of keep the Argentine.
But Pochettino may be tempted by the offer from the Bernabeu if, indeed, one comes in.
After all, Pochettino was supposedly Real’s top choice when Zinedine Zidane left in the summer.
Real would have to pay a hefty fee for Pochettino without the guarantee of results following.
It’s a gamble they cannot afford right now.
Santiago Solari
The obvious choice for president Perez at this moment in time.
Solari is the Real Madrid B manager and he would simply be promoted from Castilla to coach the first team.
Solari would not be a long-term appointment but would act as a stop-gap until Real could find a definitive replacement to Lopetegui.
He may even be in charge as early as Wednesday.
Arsene Wenger
Out of work and looking for a job, Arsene Wenger would be a surprise choice.
After all, the Frenchman was criticised for losing his touch towards the end of his Arsenal tenure.
Wenger’s style may not particularly suit Real but his tactics could work wonders on this talented team.
Still, he recently revealed he has rejected a number of approaches and hopes to be in management not before January 1.