Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti flatly denied the suggestion that he would step down at the end of the season, instead insisting that he intends to remain in the Spanish capital for another four years.

Whispers of Ancelotti’s impending exit emerged earlier this week, claiming that the 65-year-old head coach who has seen it all had seen enough. Despite already collecting two trophies this season, questions have been raised over the Italian icon’s tactical decisions.

Ancelotti was lambasted for his gung-ho approach in January’s Supercopa de Espana final, as his side were thrashed for a second time this season by Barcelona. There have also been suggestions that the club’s manager and hierarchy have clashed over transfer strategy.

Nevertheless, Ancelotti doesn’t want to be anywhere else until at least the end of his contract, which expires in 2026 – and perhaps even longer than that.

“My departure date from this club is never going to be decided by me, no way,” the Real Madrid boss told assembled media on Tuesday. “That day will come, but I don’t know when it might be, it’s not for me to decide. It could be tomorrow after the game, in the next game, in a year or in five years. I have an advantage and I have a goal.”

This declaration of intent came shortly after Florentino Perez had his club presidency extended until 2029 – a date which appealed to Ancelotti. “We will have Florentino Perez here for another four years and he, who knows me very well, knows that the objective is to be here for another four years and that we can say goodbye together, with all the love in the world,” the Italian outlined.

Perez has a strong working relationship with Ancelotti, but that didn’t stop him sacking the manager back in May 2015 one short year after he ended the club’s interminable wait for a tenth European Cup.

“The affection that the players and the fans have for Carlo is the same as the affection I myself have for him,” Perez said at the time, while warning: “The demands here at Real Madrid are very high.”

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