A FORMER Tranmere Rovers player's shock move to Real Madrid is off after his work permit was rejected, according to reports.

Andy Mangan, who is on the coaching staff at Stockport County, was on the verge of joining the LaLiga champions, but will now remain at Edgeley Park after he was refused a work permit.

Real boss Carlo Ancelotti saw his side take the LaLiga crown and win the Champions League last season and it was reported that Mangan had worked alongside Ancelotti’s son, Davide – who is assistant coach at Real – while obtaining his coaching badges.

The 38-year-old's application, which could have taken up to nine months to process, is understood to have been rejected by the Spanish government and the move is currently off.

As a player, Mangan operated as a striker in the lower leagues and represented teams including Tranmere and Shrewsbury before moving into coaching in 2019 with Fleetwood under Joey Barton.

Liverpool-born Mangan first joined Tranmere Rovers in 2015, signing a one-year contract. He scored seven goals in the first half of the season, including five in four matches during September and October, but lost his place in the team due to injury.

Mangan re-joined Tranmere Rovers after a spell at Shrewsbury for an undisclosed fee in November 2016. 

He was released by Tranmere at the end of the 2017–18 season.

He then joined Barton at Bristol Rovers in 2021 and took temporary charge of the team for seven games following Barton’s dismissal in 2023.

Following Stockport’s promotion to Sky Bet League One, Mangan joined the Hatters in the summer as an assistant coach focusing on attacking players.

The club are currently unbeaten in the third tier and are second in the table after their first four games.