Liverpool-born striker to make shock Real Madrid move - he's been hand-picked by Ancelotti

Former Tranmere Rovers striker Andy Mangan is set to complete a shock move to join Real Madrid’s backroom staff.

Mangan was born in Liverpool but came through the youth ranks at Blackpool. He enjoyed a 14-year career in the Football League and two stints at Merseyside club Tranmere where he scored a total of 11 goals in 55 appearances.

The former centre-forward also represented the likes of Accrington Stanley, Bury, Wrexham, Fleetwood Town and Shrewsbury Town before his bringing playing career down at Accrington in 2018.

Mangan moved into coaching and was part of Joey Barton's set-up at Fleetwood Town and Bristol Rovers. After Barton was sacked at Rovers, Mangan served briefly as caretaker manager before leaving after the appointment of Matt Taylor.

Since March, Mangan has been with Stockport County. He was appointed assistant manager in July but is set to make a swift exit from the League One leaders and will make a surprise move to European superpowers Madrid where he will be part of Carlo Ancelotti's coaching staff.

The Athletic reports that the Los Blancos manager's son Davide - who is assistant boss at the Santiago Bernabeu - recommended Mangan to his father. Mangan and Ancelotti jnr did their coaching badges together.

After leaving his role as Everton supremo in 2021 to return to Madrid, Ancelotti has won two La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues - with the latest coming last season when defeating Borussia Dortmund in the Wembley final. But it is said that Real want to refresh their coaching staff as Ancelotti enters the fourth season of his second stint in the hot seat.

Mangan is expected to work with Real's forwards - meaning he'll have an influence on arguably the world's best player in Kylian Mbappe. It is suggested that Mangan is waiting on a work permit before given the green light to move to the Spanish capital.