Xabi Alonso is a name that will not go away when it comes to Jurgen Klopp‘s replacement, and his credentials are more impressive by the day, with his team now 30 games unbeaten in all competitions.
The former Reds midfielder is widely considered to be the leading candidate to take over the Anfield hot seat in the summer, with the Spaniard ticking plenty of boxes.
This Is Anfield recently spoke to Bundesliga commentator Dan O’Hagan, and he described Alonso’s brand of football as “emotional, high-tempo, exciting, chock full of goals, fluid, and modern.”
And that was on show on Tuesday night as Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen became only the second team in German football to go 30 games unbeaten across all competitions.
Jonathan Tah at the death! ??
Leverkusen leave it late but their incredible season looks set to continue with a spot in the DFB Pokal Semi-Final ? pic.twitter.com/mnygedRQVx
— Viaplay Sports UK (@ViaplaySportsUK) February 6, 2024
Leverkusen twice came from behind against Stuttgart to secure their place in the DFB Pokal semi-final thanks to a 3-2 win – and their winning goal arrived in the 90th minute.
The German side can match Bayern’s all-time unbeaten record if they add two more games to the list, though they face the reigning Bundesliga champions on Saturday – one to tune into after Liverpool’s match!
As for the continued links to Anfield, Foot Mercato claim “Liverpool have made their move and contacted” Alonso, who is at the “top of the list” for the Reds.
While the reliability of the report ought to be questioned, it is not a wild claim as the Reds do need to do their due diligence and assess interest before going too far down one road.
The club’s search for Klopp’s replacement will include looking at the data, like they did when they appointed the German in 2015, and that process will be led by director of research Will Spearman.
Fenway Sports Group president Mike Gordon will also be heavily involved in one of the most difficult tasks to date at Liverpool.
Brighton‘s Roberto De Zerbi and Sporting’s Ruben Amorim have also been name-checked as candidates.
