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Xabi Alonso expected to not be on Liverpool’s final shortlist

3 min read March 29, 2024

Liverpool expects Xabi Alonso to stay at Bayer Leverkusen and is not anticipated to add him to their shortlist this summer.

Alonso was reportedly a top contender to succeed Jurgen Klopp, who will leave Anfield at the end of the current campaign.

In addition, Bayern Munich was eager to name their former player to take Thomas Tuchel’s place.

However, it is currently thought that the former player for Liverpool will remain at Leverkusen, where he has guided the team to the verge of their first Bundesliga championship in his first full season in charge.

After leading Real Sociedad’s B squad for three years, Alonso joined Leverkusen in October 2022, when the team was struggling in the Bundesliga.

The 42-year-old masterminded a breakthrough that saw them qualify for the Europa League. Leverkusen, who are undefeated in all competitions in Alonso’s second season, are poised to break Bayern’s 11-year Bundesliga title dynasty.

Before selecting a new manager, Liverpool has started to reorganise its leadership. Former sporting director Michael Edwards has returned to his position as CEO of football at Fenway Sports Group.

Edwards then hired Richard Hughes from Bournemouth as his sporting director. Alonso’s agent, Andoni Iraola, was chosen as Cherries’ manager last summer with Hughes’ assistance.

Bayern anticipates losing out on Alonso.

Uli Hoeness, Bayern’s honorary president, told German network ARD that he felt it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to recruit Xabi Alonso, adding that Bayern also assume he will remain with Leverkusen.

“I can certainly imagine him staying at Bayer Leverkusen to continue his job. [He] is more inclined to stay in view of their current successes because he would not want to leave them behind.

“Let’s say if he had two or three more years of success, it would probably be easier to bring him out of there.”

Sky Germany reported earlier this month that Bayern had opened discussions with Alonso about a summer move, while Hoeness claimed Real Madrid – as well as Liverpool – were rivalling the German giants for his signature.

Speaking to Ran Sport, he said: “He’s proven he can be a coach for the big time.

“Clubs like Liverpool, Real Madrid, Leverkusen and Bayern are working on it.”

According to Sky Germany, Alonso was Bayern’s top choice and seemed amenable to playing at the Allianz Arena again.

Bayern was projected to pay between £12.8 million and £21.3 million for Alonso this summer. The manager’s contract includes a £12.8 million release clause, although it won’t be activated until the summer of 2025.

Is De Zerbi a target for Bayern?

Bayern’s sporting director, Max Eberl, stated in an exclusive interview with Sky Germany that the team is “getting to know a lot of exciting people” as they continue to look for Tuchel’s replacement.

“The search for a coach is ongoing,” said Eberl. “But I won’t go into individual names. It’s not my style to discuss these topics in public.

“It’s clear that we need a coach from the summer onwards and it’s also clear we’re now having very intense discussions and getting to know a lot of exciting people.

“We’ll try to make the best possible decision for Bayern. What’s the point of rushing now? It’s the beginning of April. We still have a bit of time.”

Like Liverpool, Bayern have also been credited with an interest in Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi, and Eberl said: “In the past, I’ve always tried to find coaches who fit the club.

“The best coach might not be a good fit for Bayern. We have to find the coach who fits best. We think about that a lot.

“What is Bayern? What is the philosophy and identity? What do we need? I have to know the club.

“What is the history of the coach? How did he play football ? How did he deal with transfers? Which players did he bring in? How did he deal with guys? Did he already have a big club? What languages ​​does he speak?

“It cannot be brushed off the table that things could become a little more difficult for Bayern if he speaks neither German nor English.”

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