After just ten La Liga games, Real Madrid have terminated the contract of Julen Lopetegui with immediate effect.

Madrid went into Sunday's El Clasico with three league defeats in their first nine games, so losing 5-1 to their arch-rivals Barcelona was always going to end in tears for somebody.

Lopetegui's sacking means he has lost two of the biggest jobs in Spain in the space four months, after being let go by the Spanish national team before the World Cup.

So now attention turns to who will replace him.

Real Madrid B coach Santiago Solari has been named the interim boss for the club's upcoming fixtures, but who will be given one of world football's most lucrative jobs full time?

From ex-Premier League winners to World Cup winners and former Madrid bosses, the bookmakers have put together a list of the favourites up for the job. The favourite will most likely surprise you.

Louis van Gaal - 40/1

The Dutchman hasn't been seen on a touchline since he was sacked by Manchester United in 2016.

At 67 years old, van Gaal isn't too old to take the job, but considering he had two spells at rivals Barcelona, it is unlikely the Madrid owners will want him in charge.

Gareth Southgate - 50/1

First of all, what a guy! If anyone deserves to be linked with one of the greatest jobs in world football, it's Gareth Southgate.

It is unlikely though, not only has Southgate just signed a bumper new deal with England, Madrid will surely be looking for someone with more pedigree.

Zinedine Zidane 40/1

Re-appointing Zinedine Zidane wouldn't be the most surprising thing to happen in football, but is still very unlikely.

The Frenchman only left in the summer, after winning three straight Champions League titles with Los Blancos and is reportedly holding out for a new challenge.

Xabi Alonso - 40/1

Alonso retired from playing in 2017, from a career that saw him play for Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.

The Spanish midfielder who played more than 150 games for Los Blancos, recently completed his UEFA coaching badges and is currently working in the youth set-up in Madrid.

Jurgen Klopp - 40/1

We are clutching at straws here with Jurgen Klopp, who is enjoying Liverpool's best start to a Premier League season under his management.

If approached by Madrid, he will surely consider it just because it's Madrid, but we very much doubt he will think about it for too long.

Didier Deschamps - 40/1

Fresh from guiding France to World Cup success this summer, Didier Deschamps could be looking for a new challenge in club football.

But it is likely he will fancy his French national team in the upcoming 2020 Euro's more, so will stick around until then. The opportunity of being the first Frenchman to win the World Cup (as a player and manager) and the Euros (as a player and manager) will be playing on his mind.

Carlo Ancelotti - 40/1

If Real Madrid are looking for a manager to help them retain the Champions League once again, they should be looking no further than Carlo Ancelotti.

Unfortunately for them, Ancelotti has only just joined Napoli in the summer and has made a decent start to his tenure there, with strong performances in the Champions League group stages and seven wins in ten domestic league games so far.

Rafa Benitez - 33/1

Probably the first man on our list who if got the call, wouldn't think twice about saying yes.

Newcastle boss, Rafa Benitez who managed Madrid for just six months in 2015, will feel he has unfinished business in Spain, as well as not exactly enjoying life on Tyneside at the moment.

Laurent Blanc - 33/1

Blanc has been without a managerial position since he left PSG in June 2016 after three successful season with the French giants.

It was believed that one of the reasons he left the Parisien club was his failure to win the Champions League, not the kind of credentials Real Madrid are looking for.

Fernando Hierro - 33/1

Hierro stepped in to take charge of Spain during the 2018 World Cup, when Lopetegui was sacked just days before the start of the tournament.

The former Real Madrid captain then stepped down after the tournament and is currently free.

Would certainly be a fan favourite choice if appointed.

Joachim Low - 33/1

Low surprised a lot of people by not immediately stepping down from his role as Germany's head coach after their disastrous World Cup campaign.

Despite a summer to forget, their is no doubt that the German is regarded as one of the great managers and has experience dealing with big names in the dressing room.

Albert Celades - 33/1

Former Madrid defensive midfielder Albert Celades was brought in by Lopetegui as one of his assistants this summer, having worked closely together with the Spanish national teams.

It is believed Celades is staying at Real, despite his boss' sacking this week.

Jose Mourinho - 28/1

Mourinho won the La Liga and Copa del Rey during his three year spell with the Spanish giants between 2010-2013.

There is no denying his job at Manchester United is under threat, could he be interested in a return?

Guti - 28/1

Like Fernando Hierro, the fans would surely respond well to a former player like Guti being named as head coach.

After retiring in 2011, the Spanish midfielder completed his UEFA badges and worked in the youth set-up at Madrid for five years, until taking an assistant manager role in Besiktas this summer. 

Roberto Martinez - 7/2

This summer, Martinez guided Belgium to the World Cup semi-finals in his first tournament as their Head Coach.

Former Real Madrid manager and sporting director Jorge Valdano publicly expressed his interest in Martinez saying:

"Appointing Martinez seems the best idea to me. A coach that could turn things around. He seems more adaptable than Conte,"

"Conte has prestige because he's won in various countries, but Roberto [would] adapt to this team."

Arsene Wenger - 5/1

Interestingly Wenger announced last week that he is aiming to return to management in January 2019, after leaving Arsenal at the end of last season.

The Frenchman was regularly linked with Los Blancos during his tenure at the Emirates, could he move his return to the touchline forward two months?

Antonio Conte - 9/2

There is no doubt that Antonio Conte has pedigree, with three Serie A titles alongside his Premier League one with Chelsea in 2017.

For weeks he has been the leading favourite, but recent reports have suggested that Madrid fancy this other Premier League boss.

Santiago Solari - 3/1

Despite the previous high profile names all being linked, Santiago Solari has been named interim boss at the Bernabeau, for now.

Solari played over 130 games for Madrid in his playing career and has been managing Real Madrid B for the last two years.

It is believed that if he can get the likes of Bale, Benzema and Isco firing again, he will be given the job full time.

Maybe the board at Madrid would rather employee one of their own, it worked pretty well for them last time they did it?

But Santiago isn't the favourite, this current Premier League boss is!

Mauricio Pochettino - 5/4 FAVOURITE

There is no denying that Mauricio Pochettino's relationship with Tottenham is a little frayed at the moment, despite Spurs enjoying their best start to a Premier League season.

Has the Argentine taken them as far as they possibly can, with the budget, resources available to him.

Would he rather have an almost limitless budget with the Los Blancos?