Liverpool are ‘quietly confident’ that Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso will turn down Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich in favour of a return to the Premier League giants once Jurgen Klopp departs in the summer.
EXCLUSIVE from Graeme Bailey
HITC Football understands that, despite speculation suggesting that Bayern Munich are looking to raid their title rivals for a manager who masterminded this month’s 3-0 hammering of Thomas Tuchel’s beleaguered side, the feeling behind the scenes at Anfield as that Xabi Alonso will soon be returning to familiar surroundings instead.
Liverpool, we have been informed, quickly installed Alonso as their number one choice once Klopp dropped that bombshell interview a month ago.
The EFL Cup champions are also ‘quietly confident’ that the 41-year-old Spaniard will opt for an emotional return to England over defecting from the Bay Arena to Bavaria. Discussions are ongoing behind the scenes, though Liverpool and Bayern Munich are reluctant to put all their eggs in the Alonso basket.
There is also interest in the likes of Roberto de Zerbi (Brighton and Hove Albion), Ruben Amorim (Sporting Lisbon) and the current Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann. Thomas Frank of Brentford and Tottenham’s Ange Postecoglou have also been linked.
Liverpool face Bayern Munich battle for Xabi Alonso
Ironically, Nagelsmann was fired by Bayern a year ago, a decision which looks highly questionable now as Leverkusen open up an eight point gap over a side who have underperformed dramatically in recent weeks under the soon-to-be-departing Tuchel.
Some have suggested that Tuchel – who guided Chelsea to the Champions League title in 2021 – could potentially replace Klopp again, having done so at both Mainz and Borussia Dortmund. One-time Anfield ace Danny Murphy, however, feels that the prickly 50-year-old, with his penchant for petulance and his tendency to air his grievances in public, is unlikely to be called in to succeed a man who has built such a tight-knight family feel on Merseyside.
“No, (Tuchel) doesn’t fit them,” Murphy tells talkSPORT. “He’s too divisive. He’s not a Liverpool manager. Not for me.”
Bayer Leverkusen eight points clear
The same probably cannot be said of Alonso, who has conducted himself with such poise on and off the pitch and is threatening to become as successful a coach as he was a player, winning the Champions League, World Cup, European Championships, La Liga and more before hanging up his boots.
HITC also understands that Liverpool want to seal the hire of a sporting director before finalising a deal to bring in Klopp’s replacement. Michael Edwards, who spent six years at Anfield in a director role between 2016 and 2022, remains a priority.
He has already turned down the chance to return but – like with Alonso – there is a belief that he can be convinced to return to a club he knows well.
Liverpool, HITC knows, had scouts in the stands to watch Leverkusen’s shellacking of Bayern. They were also there to keep tabs on Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musiala and Piero Hincapie.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
