Raul, Allegri and Low are the candidates to replace Zidane at Madrid

Pending official confirmation, it's been accepted as a given in Madrid that Zinedine Zidane will leave Real Madrid at the end of the season.

Onda Cero broke the news that the French coach has communicated his decision to the players, forcing the club to look for alternatives.

Raul Gonzalez is the favourite to replace Zidane, even though Massimiliano Allegri, who's to Florentino Perez's taste, also has a chance.

Third on the list is Joachim Low, who will leave the German national team after this summer's European Championships.

Former Madrid forward Raul is best placed because his profile is similar to Zidane's: a club legend as a player with experience coach the B team, who he's currently in charge of.

Like Zidane, he would command respect from the dressing room and also knows the youngster coming through having worked with the B team and the academy.

Allegri, meanwhile, has been sounded out previously by Perez, although on that occasion, several seasons ago, he turned Madrid down as he remained committed to Juventus.

Now without a side, the Italian coach, who won the league every season with Juve and took them to two Champions League finals, poses an interesting option.

Another candidate is Low, who's set to leave Germany this summer. However, he's the least likely target as Perez would prefer a more modern coach.

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