Stuttgart boss Sebastian Hoeness is reportedly under consideration for one of the biggest jobs in football.
Just two months on from meeting Celtic in the first knockout round of the Europa League, the German side could be set to lose Hoeness.
Real Madrid sacked Xabi Alonso earlier this year, in the same week which saw Celtic sack Wilfried Nancy, Man United sack Ruben Amorim and Chelsea sack Enzo Maresca.
Alvaro Arbeloa has been in the dugout at the Santiago Bernabeu since, but the Stuttgart boss is now in the frame to replace him.
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Stuttgart boss Sebastian Hoeness monitored ‘very closely’ by Real Madrid
According to BILD chief Christian Falk, Hoeness is being ‘monitored very closely’ on Real Madrid’s shortlist.
The Spanish giants are reportedly struck by “the dominance with which [Stuttgart] has achieved without buying established stars.”
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The son and nephew of former German internationals and Bayern executives Dieter and Uli Hoeness respectively, he spent a year in charge of Bayern Munich II before joining Hoffenheim.
He took over Stuttgart with the team at the bottom of the table in April, rescuing them from relegation. The following campaign, he led the club to a second place finish in the Bundesliga, finishing above Bayern.
He won the DfB Pokal the following season. Hoeness’ side won 4-1 at Celtic Park in the first leg in February, on a night to forget for Kasper Schmeichel.
The Dane made just one save on the night before playing in the Hoops’ 2-1 defeat to Hibs the following weekend, in what will likely be his last appearance for Celtic.
With a mountain to climb in the return leg, Luke McCowan got Martin O’Neill’s men off to the perfect start, but 1-0 was ultimately how it finished.
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It was a bittersweet night for O’Neill and his players, given that they had achieved their first-ever win on German soil.
Prior to the tie, Hoeness singled out Benjamin Nygren and Daizen Maeda for praise; Stuttgart had been linked with the latter the prior summer.
Should he be Real’s chosen man, he will be the club’s third German manager after Jupp Heynckes and Bernd Schuster.
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