Bayer changing one Real coach with another?

For the fans from San Sebastian, Imanol Alguacil is not just a coach, but the embodiment of the club's philosophy, continuity, and identity. Imanol was born in Orio, a Basque town near San Sebastian, and is literally a child of Real Sociedad. He came through the club’s youth academy, played for the first team in the 1990s, and later spent years within the club’s structure. After his playing career, he worked with Sociedad’s youth teams, managed the B team, and became a symbol of systematic development—he was never a “parachute coach,” but someone who knows every child from the academy.

When he led Sociedad to the Copa del Rey title in 2021—the club’s first major trophy since 1987—he became a club legend. Recently, he announced the end of his seven-year tenure. He developed players like Mikel Oyarzabal, Martín Zubimendi, and Ander Barrenetxea, and now, according to Madrid-based newspaper AS, the 54-year-old is the leading candidate to succeed Xabi Alonso as manager of Bayer Leverkusen. And it seems there is no more logical choice to continue the system established by the younger of the two Basques.

Xabi's fate will be decided within a month

Leverkusen doesn’t need a star coach, but a system-driven man. Especially when it comes to working with young players—that’s exactly what Alguacil has done at Sociedad: he launches youngsters and develops them into stars. Leverkusen does the same (Jeremie Frimpong, Florian Wirtz, Victor Boniface...). He’s known for not putting on airs—not even wearing a suit or chasing fame. He’s always in a tracksuit, often addressing fans with complete honesty, as “one of them.” After winning the cup, he cried in front of the cameras and said: “This isn’t just for me. This is for all of us who grew up with this club.”

Sociedad’s playing style under him is recognizable—high pressing, technical control, and a focus on homegrown talent. Mentally, Alguacil would be a good fit for Bayer. He would embrace the German system of discipline, hard work, and continuity, just like Xabi did. Perhaps Imanol is forever the modest Basque in a tracksuit, and it would feel odd for him to walk into the luxurious BayArena complex surrounded by directors in suits—like they’d asked him to wear a tie to a derby against Athletic Bilbao. He has never worked outside of Spain, either as a player or a coach, so at 55, this could be his first adventure beyond the Pyrenees.