Liverpool won't include Xabi Alonso on their manager shortlist to replace Jurgen Klopp, it has been claimed.
Alonso has been the favourite to take over at Anfield ever since Klopp announced in January that he was set to stand down as Liverpool manager at the end of the season.
However, The Times claim that Liverpool are set to look elsewhere, with the Merseyside outfit believing the Spaniard will not be available this summer.
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The development will boost the chances of Sporting head coach Ruben Amorim and Brighton and Hove Albion manager Roberto De Zerbi.
Alonso allegedly wants to remain at Leverkusen for another season, having joined them in October 2022 when the German outfit were languishing in the relegation zone.
He has transformed their fortunes to such an extent that the club are unbeaten in all competitions this term and some ten points clear of second-place Bayern Munich at the Bundesliga summit.
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Bayern are also interested in Alonso, with the Bavarian giants set to part ways with Thomas Tuchel at the end of the season.
Bayern have been public in the pursuit of the 42-year-old, though honorary president Uli Hoeness suggested on Thursday that it would be “impossible” to lure Alonso away from Leverkusen.
“We’ll have to see if we can do it this year,” he admitted. “It will be difficult, if not probably impossible.
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“[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.”
The Times claim that Liverpool had already arrived at this conclusion on Alonso after extensive background checks which focused on establishing the suitability and availability of potential Klopp replacements.
Topics: Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp, Xabi Alonso, Premier League, Football, Anfield
Chris Byfield