PARIS: Carlo Ancelotti has asked to leave Paris Saint-Germain for Real Madrid, PSG’s sporting director Leonardo said yesterday.
Ancelotti, who has long been rumoured to be a target for Real, whose current boss Jose Mourinho is tipped to return to Chelsea next season, had a meeting with club bosses earlier yesterday.
A subsequent report on television channel BeInSport, whose Qatari owner Nasser al-Khelaifi is also PSG president, said Ancelotti would be leaving PSG.
But Leonardo denied that, claiming the Parisians want to keep hold of the Italian.
“What happened is that Carlo has asked to leave for Real Madrid. We want to keep him, he has (another) year on his contract with us. No decision has been taken,” said Leonardo.
Ancelotti has spent just 18 months at the club from the French capital and this season led them to a first Ligue 1 title since 1994.
But rumours that he is set to replace Mourinho at Real when this season finishes had been gathering pace in recent weeks.
Madrid sports daily Marca ran the headline “he is going to Chelsea” on Sunday morning, adding that “Real Madrid could make his goodbye official this week”.
Another Spanish newspaper, El Mundo, ran the headline “Madrid want to sack Mourinho now”. AFP
