The search for a new manager for Liverpool is underway following Jurgen Klopp’s surprise decision to step down at the end of the season.
Klopp took over the reins at Anfield on October 8, 2015, and has since led the Reds to win the UEFA Champions League, Premier League, FIFA Club World Cup, FA Cup, Carabao Cup, and UEFA Super Cup, as well as the FA Community Shield.
The 56-year-old, together with his trusted assistants Pepijn Lijnders and Peter Krawietz, as well as elite development coach Vitor Matos, will also leave when the 2023/24 season comes to an end. He, however, will continue to oversee the team’s remaining fixtures of 2023-24 before bringing the curtain down on a glorious eight-and-a-half-year managerial reign at Anfield.
Several managers have been linked with the soon-to-be vacant Liverpool job and Xabi Alonso has emerged as the top contender to take over from the German. Alonso spent five successful years at Anfield as a player between 2004 and 2009, during which he won both the FA Cup and Champions League before leaving the club to feature for Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
He returned to the Bundesliga in October 2022 to assume his first senior managerial role as the head coach at Bayer Leverkusen. The 42-year-old has done an incredible job at Leverkusen, guiding them to the summit of the league table. They are unbeaten in 19 matches and hold a two-point advantage over defending champions Bayern Munich.
Alonso signed a new contract with Leverkusen in the summer, which is set to expire at the end of the 2025-26 campaign, however, according to reports, he reached a gentleman’s agreement with the club’s hierarchy, allowing him to depart for a top club like Liverpool.
Sport Bild’s Christian Falk claims that Leverkusen are making preparations for the potential departure of Xabi Alonso to the Reds. He told Caught Offside: “The announced resignation of Jürgen Klopp also has consequences in Germany.”
“Leverkusen are preparing for the possibility of losing coach Xabi Alonso to the Reds. Hansi Flick was actually considered a potential successor. But the former national coach is at the top of FC Barcelona’s list as Xavi’s successor.
“In Germany, however, people hope that Jürgen Klopp will become the national coach at some point. But the job as England national coach should also appeal to him. Nobody believes that he will never be a coach again.
“His assistant Peter Krawietz will wait until his boss takes a new job. Pep Lijnders, on the other hand, is interested in finding his own role as a manager.”
Alonso, meanwhile expressed his happiness at Leverkusen, stating that he is not currently contemplating his future. Given that the Germans have much to play for this season, we would not expect anything less of him at least until the season is done and dusted.
A major trait Jurgen Klopp brought to the table is professionalism. Alonso appears to exude just that. While it will be difficult for Liverpool to replace Klopp the man, Alonso gets what the club is about and could tick several boxes.
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There is still a long way to go before Klopp’s successor is brought in. In fact, the German is far from done cementing his place in Liverpool folklore. We would like to think that whoever the Reds honchos bring in, he will build upon the German’s foundations rather than tear the playbook up. For now, let us enjoy what should be a hell of a ride in the months to come.
