The question was posed to Caoimhe O’Neill as to whether Xabi Alonso could help Liverpool resolve their major player contract concerns.
Virgil van Dijk, Mo Salah and Trent Alexander-Arnold are all currently on terms set to expire in over a year’s time.
“Absolutely. He’s got 11m followers on Instagram! He’s someone a lot of the players at Liverpool will have watched – Thiago played alongisde him (at Bayern) and they’re close friends,” the Athletic reporter spoke on the Walk On Podcast.
“Alonso was one of the people who told Thiago to go to Liverpool.
“It feels like he’s a personality who would quietly command the dressing room because of who he is and what he’s achieved as a player, but also what he’s done to become a manager.”
It remains to be seen which man will take over the reins at Anfield, though the former Real Madrid man is considered the frontrunner.
First major hurdle at Liverpool
As much as we’re aware that any potential successor will be a downgrade on our fist-pumping German tactician – so will the players.
In that sense, Alonso need not worry, particularly given that his gravitas from his playing days has yet to have worn off.
Adding the Bundesliga title to his achievements as a young coach, of course, would no doubt work wonders when it comes to getting our squad quickly onside.
Either way, you have to appreciate the magnitude of the transformation the 42-year-old has brought about at Leverkusen.
With one hell of a young team already available on Merseyside, you have to wonder what he could achieve in a similar amount of time.