Real Madrid have been linked with an interest in Aston Villa manager Unai Emery.
Club president Florentino Perez is said to be leading the search for a new manager for the Spanish giants and has compiled a shortlist of potential targets.
Former boss Jose Mourinho is reportedly at the top of that list, with Emery also among the candidates, according to talkSPORT.
Madrid sacked Xabi Alonso mid-season and promoted under-21s coach Alvaro Arbeloa to the role. However, results have not gone to plan, with bitter rivals Barcelona 11 points clear at the top of La Liga.
They were also knocked out of the UEFA Champions League by Bayern Munich at the quarter-final stage last month.
Mourinho only joined Benfica in September and is under contract until June 2027. However, his deal reportedly includes a break clause that can be activated at the end of the season by either the club or Mourinho himself.
Emery, meanwhile, is contracted at Villa until 2029, after signing a five-year extension in May 2024 following the club’s qualification for the Champions League at the end of his first full season in charge.
On talkSPORT, Ally McCoist responded to the links between Emery on Madrid.
“I’ll be honest with you, I don’t want him to go,” he said. “Love him, like everything about him… I think it’d be bordering on devastation at Villa Park if they lost him.
“But, do you know something? The naughty part of me would love to see him handle (Kylian) Mbappe and Vinicius Jr, and those boys.
“I think that would be really, really interesting. It’s no surprise (to see Emery linked with Madrid), he is top class.
“Listen, he was disappointed with the level of performance his team put in yesterday (2-1 defeat to Tottenham). But, why would he not come into the thinking of being their next manager? He’s proved it at every level, Arsenal aside. He has been absolutely fantastic, but I want him to stay.”
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