Liverpool have had "positive contacts" with a manager ahead of a potential move to Anfield this summer – has Jurgen Klopp's successor been found?
Liverpool manager latest
Klopp's farewell tour is threatening to go out in style between now and the end of the season, with one trophy already secured, following Sunday's EFL Cup final triumph over Chelsea. Liverpool still have a chance of winning all four competitions they are competing in, and it would be just like their legendary manager to enjoy a stunning end to his tenure.
The German is going to be bordering on irreplaceable when he does leave, with his brilliance as a manager and quality as a person something that is going to be so hard to replicate. The Reds are clearly working hard on nailing the 56-year-old's replacement, however, and Xabi Alonso is the name that many supporters want, both due to him guiding Bayer Leverkusen to within touching distance of the Bundesliga title, but also because he was much-loved as a player at Anfield between 2004 and 2009.
He is far from the only target, however, with Sporting CP boss Ruben Amorim another exciting young coach impressing in Portugal, and Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann also considered an option, ahead of his exit from his current job after Euro 2024.
Big Xabi Alonso to Liverpool update
According to journalist Santi Aouna on X, Liverpool have had "positive contacts" with Alonso over replacing Klopp, with the Reds firm favourites to snap up the Spaniard, who is "excited" about the possibility of a return to Merseyside.
This feels like another significant step in the right direction when it comes to Liverpool's pursuit of Alonso, who certainly feels like the overriding favourite to become Klopp's successor this summer.
It appears as though he is FSG's first choice, and the decision now looks like it is up to him, in terms of whether he joins the Reds or Bayern Munich, who he also represented as a player. There is also the option of him staying at Leverkusen for another year, but that would arguably be a surprise, given the calibre of the two clubs who want him.
Granted, Alonso's preferred 3-4-2-1 formation is different to the 4-3-3 system that Klopp invariably goes with, but the job he is doing at Leverkusen is incredible, and Liverpool's players should feel confident and excited about the prospect of working with him.
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An announcement is expected next month.
ByHenry Jackson
At this point, it could be a surprise if the 42-year-old didn't become the Reds' next boss, and while replacing Klopp is going to be one of the hardest jobs for any manager in many years, Alonso does feel like the most logical and eye-catching choice.
