Xabi Alonso has become one of Europe’s hottest managerial properties after his outstanding season with Bayer Leverkusen. Photograph: Ronald Wittek/EPA
Liverpool are ready to give up on plans to appoint Xabi Alonso as the club now believe he will stay at Bayer Leverkusen for at least another season.
Alonso looks set to win the Bundesliga with Leverkusen and the understanding is the Spaniard is likely to remain for their Champions League campaign.
The Merseysiders will turn their attention to the Sporting Lisbon head coach, Rúben Amorim, and the Brighton manager, Roberto De Zerbi as they plan for Jürgen Klopp’s successor.
The timing is a blow for Liverpool supporters who had pinned their hopes on Alonso taking over from Klopp. It also poses a significant challenge for Michael Edwards, the new chief executive officer of Fenway Sports Group, and the incoming sporting director Richard Hughes.
Even Klopp seemed to sense Alonso was the preferred choice of fans when asked about the Spaniard’s coaching career so far.
“The next generation is already there and I would say Xabi is the standout in that department,” the Liverpool manager said. “A former world-class player, obviously coaching family as well which helps a little bit. He was like a coach already when he was playing.
“The football he is playing, the teams he sets up, the transfers he did – it was absolutely exceptional. Obviously when you look through the Europa League, Leverkusen is one of the favourites there as well so that could be the season for Leverkusen. Really crazy.”
Liverpool were facing competition from Munich for Alonso but it now seems the 42-year-old is determined to build on his success with Leverkusen which has seen them go 10 points clear of Bayern during an unbeaten campaign.
Bayern are searching for a new head coach with Thomas Tuchel on his way out in the summer and were hoping to lure the former midfielder who graced Anfield and the Allianz Arena. However, it seems Alonso’s camp have made it plain that the time is not right to move on. On Thursday, Bayern’s honorary president, Uli Hoeness, confirmed it would be “impossible” to secure his signature.
“We’ll have to see if we can do it this year,” he said. “It will be difficult, if not probably impossible.
“[Alonso] is more inclined to stay at Bayer Leverkusen in view of their current successes, because he would not want to leave them behind,” Hoeness said. “Let’s say if he had two or three more years of success, it would probably be easier to bring him out of there.”
Amorim is one of Europe’s most highly rated coaches, having guided Sporting to the Portuguese title in 2021. Sporting are on course to repeat that title success this season and the coach reportedly has a release clause of £17m.
De Zerbi – who has enjoyed success against Liverpool with Brighton – will have another chance to impress the Anfield hierarchy when he brings his side to Merseyside on Sunday.
There is a significant chance Liverpool and Klopp will come up against Alonso and Leverkusen in the Europa League final in May.
News Related
-
Asylum seekers travel in an inflatable boat across the English Channel, bound for Dover on the south coast of England (Photo: Ben Stansall/AFP) Up to 40 Conservative MPs are poised to rebel over Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda deportation policy as they question ministers’ commitment to the scheme. A major row is ...
See Details:
Up to 40 Tory MPs ‘set to rebel’ if Sunak’s Rwanda plan doesn’t override ECHR
-
In the saltmarsh fringing where the Ballyboe River dissolves into Trawbreaga Bay, a little egret wears its plumage like a windblown stole. Our car swoops across the 10 arches of Malin bridge and we park along the village green. Malin is almost as far north as you can get on ...
See Details:
Country diary: A tale of three churches
-
Photograph: Chris Ratcliffe/EPA Hampton Court is an enduring monument to the power of Henry VIII, a pleasure palace down the Thames from Westminster and the City of London. On Monday it was the scene of power projection of a different kind, as Rishi Sunak pitched for investment from some of ...
See Details:
Sunak woos business elite with royal welcome – but they seek certainty
-
-
Tottenham interested in move to sign “fearless” £20m defender in January Tottenham Hotspur have joined the race to bring an overseas defender to the Premier League in January, according to a fresh report. Postecoglou’s centre-back options The Lilywhites currently have Micky Van De Ven, Ashley Phillips, Cristian Romero and Eric ...
See Details:
Tottenham interested in move to sign “fearless” £20m defender in January
-
A £100m campaign urging households and businesses to use less water will be funded from customers’ bills, Ofwat has said. Bill payers to stump up cost of £100m water usage campaign The regulator’s chief executive David Black told MPs that if the measures worked it would be cheaper than building ...
See Details:
Bill payers to stump up cost of £100m water usage campaign
-
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football – FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 – Group B – Canada Training – Olympic Park, Melbourne, Australia – July 24, 2023 Canada’s Christine Sinclair during training REUTERS/Hannah Mckay/File Photo (Reuters) – BC Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, will be renamed “Christine Sinclair ...
See Details:
Soccer-Venue renamed 'Christine Sinclair Place' for Canada soccer great's final game
-
Michael van Gerwen is hunting down a fourth World Championship title (Picture: Getty Images) Michael van Gerwen is Phil Taylor’s tip to lift the World Darts Championship trophy for a fourth time in January, expecting a backlash from the recent defeat in the Players Championship Finals. The 2024 World Championship ...
See Details:
Phil Taylor makes his pick for 2024 World Darts Championship winner
-
Michael van Gerwen is hunting down a fourth World Championship title (Picture: Getty Images) Michael van Gerwen is Phil Taylor’s tip to lift the World Darts Championship trophy for a fourth time in January, expecting a backlash from the recent defeat in the Players Championship Finals. The 2024 World Championship ...
See Details:
Soccer-Howe aims to boost Newcastle's momentum in PSG clash
-
Michael van Gerwen is hunting down a fourth World Championship title (Picture: Getty Images) Michael van Gerwen is Phil Taylor’s tip to lift the World Darts Championship trophy for a fourth time in January, expecting a backlash from the recent defeat in the Players Championship Finals. The 2024 World Championship ...
See Details:
Hamilton heads for hibernation with a word of warning
-
Michael van Gerwen is hunting down a fourth World Championship title (Picture: Getty Images) Michael van Gerwen is Phil Taylor’s tip to lift the World Darts Championship trophy for a fourth time in January, expecting a backlash from the recent defeat in the Players Championship Finals. The 2024 World Championship ...
See Details:
Carolina Panthers fire head coach Frank Reich after 1-10 start to the season
-
Michael van Gerwen is hunting down a fourth World Championship title (Picture: Getty Images) Michael van Gerwen is Phil Taylor’s tip to lift the World Darts Championship trophy for a fourth time in January, expecting a backlash from the recent defeat in the Players Championship Finals. The 2024 World Championship ...
See Details:
This exercise is critical for golfers. 4 tips to doing it right
-
Michael van Gerwen is hunting down a fourth World Championship title (Picture: Getty Images) Michael van Gerwen is Phil Taylor’s tip to lift the World Darts Championship trophy for a fourth time in January, expecting a backlash from the recent defeat in the Players Championship Finals. The 2024 World Championship ...
See Details:
One in three households with children 'will struggle to afford Christmas'
-
OTHER NEWS
Kobbie Mainoo made his first start for Man Utd at Everton (Photo: Getty) The Football Association are reportedly confident that Manchester United starlet Kobbie Mainoo will choose to represent England ...
Read more »
Michael Smith will begin the defence of his world title on the opening night (Picture: Getty Images) The 2024 World Darts Championship is less than three weeks away and the ...
Read more »
For the first time a long haul commercial aircraft is flying across the Atlantic using 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). A long haul commercial flight is flying to the US ...
Read more »
The King has met business and finance leaders from across the world at a Buckingham Palace reception to mark the conclusion of the UK’s Global Investment Summit. Charles was introduced ...
Read more »
After Ohio State’s 30-24 loss to Michigan Saturday, many college football fans were wondering where Lou Holtz was. In his postgame interview after the Buckeyes beat Notre Dame 17-14 in ...
Read more »
Darius Slay wouldn’t have minded being penalized on controversial no-call No matter which team you were rooting for on Sunday, we can all agree that the officiating job performed by ...
Read more »
New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (10) Quarterback Mac Jones remains committed to finding success with the New England Patriots even though his future is up in the air following ...
Read more »