According to BILD, Liverpool have now made contact with Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso’s agent, Inaki Ibanez.
Liverpool are on the hunt for their Jurgen Klopp successor this summer, and Xabi Alonso is a name that has consistently been linked with the huge job on the red side of Merseyside ever since the German coach announced his departure.
The 42-year-old ex-Liverpool player has been grabbing the attention of the football world for the incredible campaign he is pulling off in the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen this season.
Alonso has led his squad to 23 games unbeaten in the German top flight so far and is currently eight points clear of Thomas Tuchel’s Bayern Munich in second place, which is an incredible achievement for his first full season.
Indeed, there are huge shoes to fill at Anfield when Klopp leaves, and there is a strong emphasis on resonating with the culture of the club and the city and understanding the high standards that must be maintained for success, something Alonso will have a lot of experience with from his playing days in the centre of the pitch at Anfield.
Now a new update has emerged on FSG’s pursuit of the talented coach and it has been reported by German news outlet BILD that Liverpool have stepped up their chase to secure Alonso’s signature to become their next manager.
According to the report, Alonso is the number one choice for the Reds and have now initiated contact with the manager’s agent to get a deal done as soon as possible to avoid being dragged in a war to secure his services, as Bayern Munich have also shown an interest after confirming Tuchel will leave at the end of the season.
Should Liverpool appoint Xabi Alonso?
There is nothing more important than finding a manager who can quickly connect with the supporters in the same way that Jurgen Klopp did before him, and nobody would fit that role better than Alonso.
Indeed, his lack of experience is potentially a cause of concern from a perspective of the high expectations in the Premier League, however, it will be the ultimate test of the Spaniard’s skillset to take on a role with such huge responsibility.
If speculation is true, former sporting director Michael Edwards could also be making a return to the club to oversee and take control of the entire football operation moving forward in the summer, which would provide Alonso with a fellow returnee behind the scenes who has the unrivalled knowledge and experience of making the club a success.
With that being said, there is no doubt that it would be worth exploring the opportunity to appoint Alonso this summer, as he is a popular figure for the fans to get behind and is currently showing strong coaching talent in the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen.
