Following the shock announcement that Jurgen Klopp will be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season Xabi Alonso is the ‘early bookies favourite’ to replace the 56-year-old.
The Spaniard is adored by Kopites after a successful five year playing career at Anfield between 2004 and 2009 and is currently in charge of Bayer Leverkusen in Germany.
The Bundesliga outfit are four points clear at the top of the German top flight at the moment and are through to the knockout stages of the Europa League having won all six of their group games.
Ahead of his side’s clash with ‘Gladbach tomorrow Alonso spoke to the press just hours after Klopp’s announcement and was quizzed about replacing the former Borussia Dortmund boss in the summer.
“At the moment I’m really happy here, I’m enjoying my work,” he said (as quoted by the Express). “Each day it’s a challenge & we are on a beautiful journey here in Leverkusen. To be honest, I am not in that moment to think about the next step. I am thinking about where I am right now.”
When asked directly if he would be willing to rule out a move to Liverpool at the end of the season, Alonso replied: “That’s a direct question! I don’t have a direct answer. I’m happy here right now, that’s for sure, and only thinking about Leverkusen.”
READ MORE: ‘Early bookies favourite’ to replace Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool now emerges
Alonso is doing a brilliant job in Germany and there are reports of a release clause inserted in the Spaniard’s Leverkusen contract which would allow him to leave the club from this summer onwards if one of Liverpool, Bayern Munich or Real Madrid make an approach.
Steven Gerrard was the man many expected to replace Klopp when he started his senior managerial career with Glasgow Rangers in 2018.
The Scouser tasted huge success up in Scotland but struggled at Aston Villa and is now of course in charge of Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq.
You’d suspect that there’ll be many names ahead of our former No. 8 in the pecking order to replace the ‘Normal One’ but we’ll just have to wait and see.
There are four trophies for us to win between now and the end of the season before we say farewell to Jurgen.