Real Madrid's search for a new manager is heating up as the club prepares to part ways with current head coach Álvaro Arbeloa at the end of the season. The former defender, who took over from Xabi Alonso just six months ago, has struggled to deliver silverware, prompting the club to look elsewhere for leadership.

While big-name candidates like Jürgen Klopp and José Mourinho have emerged as early frontrunners, the rumor mill is buzzing with another intriguing name. According to journalist Joaquín Maroto, Real Madrid's front office has taken a keen interest in Walid Regragui, the former Morocco manager who has been without a job since stepping down in March 2026.

Regragui, 50, has earned respect within the halls of Valdebebas not just for his tactical acumen, but for his commanding personality and the impressive work he did with the Moroccan national team. In fact, sources suggest that Regragui is being discussed more frequently than Mourinho in internal conversations—a telling sign of how highly the club rates him.

His coaching resume is solid, with nearly four years at the helm of Morocco, preceded by a stint at Wydad Casablanca, time at Al-Duhail in Qatar, and six years developing his craft at FUS Rabat. Best of all for Real Madrid, Regragui would be available to take over immediately at the end of the season with no release clause to worry about.

Despite this admiration, don't expect Regragui to be the final choice just yet. With heavyweights like Klopp and Mourinho still in the mix, the former Moroccan international remains a dark horse in this high-stakes managerial hunt.