LEEDS UNITED could miss out on Aitor Karanka to his coach’s hometown club Alaves.
The Spaniard is the heavy favourite to replace Garry Monk in the Elland Road hotseat.
However, reports in his homeland claim that the Copa del Rey finalists are set to make a move for the 43-year-old.
Karanka’s reign as Middlesbrough manager came to an end in March following a number of dressing-room bust-ups and a disastrous run of form.
He had performed a grand job on Teesside until his final few months, saving the club from relegation to League Two before leading them to promotion to the Premier League last season.
And it was that impressive record that sparked Leeds’ interest in the former Real Madrid defender.
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The Yorkshire side are searching for a new boss following Monk’s surprise departure last month.
After the appointment of his close ally and former Boro chief scout Victor Orta as the new director of football at Leeds, it looked odds-on that Karanka would follow,
But now they face serious competition to get him in the dug-out after Alaves’ interest emerged.
Karanka was born in the Alava region and was part of the club’s academy before joining Athletic Bilbao in 1991.
And a return back home may just prove too tempting for him instead of another spell in the Championship.
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