According to reports, Liverpool is stepping up their efforts to bring the Bayer Leverkusen manager to Anfield by getting in touch with Xabi Alonso’s agent.
The focus now is on Jurgen Klopp’s potential successor, as the manager of Liverpool is expected to step down at the end of the current campaign after eight and a half years in charge.
According to Bild, Liverpool has reportedly made contact with Alonso’s agent, Inaki Ibanez, as they consider him to be their top target.
Chiefs at Leverkusen have been directly notified of Liverpool’s interest in signing Alonso, who has a 2026 contract with the German team.
Mail Online notes the Bundesliga team was said to be confident that Alonso would turn down a Liverpool offer last month. It is believed that they are not alarmed by the most recent information and that they still believe he will stay with the team for the duration of this season.
The 42-year-old will now likely have to make a significant decision regarding his future, namely whether to join Liverpool or remain at Leverkusen.
After spending five years at Anfield as a player from 2004 to 2009, Alonso is still well-liked there.
Alonso’s Journey
With the Reds, he scored on a rebound in the Champions League final in 2005 after his penalty was saved. The following year, he won the FA Cup.
He later played for Real Madrid and Bayern Munich before turning pro at Leverkusen and entering management.
After taking over in October 2022, he has led the team from the Bundesliga’s relegation zone to the top eight points in less than 18 months.
This season, Leverkusen has not lost in any competition, and this incredible form has made Alonso one of the most sought-after managers in Europe.
Liverpool looks to be getting an early advantage in the competition for Alonso’s services, but he has also been linked to Bayern, another of his former teams, as they prepare to part ways with Thomas Tuchel at the end of the current campaign.
Current Situation In Liverpool
After Jorg Schmadtke left at the end of the January transfer window, Liverpool is currently without a sporting director, so another important position at the Premier League team needs to be filled.
Two years after he left the team, they contacted Michael Edwards, their former sporting director, last month to express interest in the position.
Although Edwards kindly declined Liverpool’s approach and told them he does take up a similar position, the Reds are still holding out hope that Edwards will be persuaded to return in some capacity.
They’re looking into the possibility of restructuring their current configuration in order to find Edwards a more interesting challenge within the group.
After supervising a prosperous phase during his first stint at Anfield, Edwards is rumored to want more control if he were to return to Liverpool.
See Also: Liverpool Assistant Manager In Contact With Major European Club
Between 2016 and 2022, he was instrumental in Liverpool’s recruitment process, helping the team sign players like Alisson, Virgil van Dijk, and Mohamed Salah before they won every major trophy under manager Jurgen Klopp.
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