Xabi Alonso has verbal Liverpool agreement with Bayer Leverkusen

Xabi Alonso reportedly has a verbal agreement with Bayer Leverkusen about Liverpool. The Spaniard is the favourite to succeed Jurgen Klopp.

This comes from Sky Germany. They report that Xabi Alonso has a 'gentlemen's agreement' with Bayer Leverkusen that involves Liverpool.

Alonso is the current favourite to replace Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager this summer after the German announced his intention to step down after this season. While there are others in the running, the Reds' former midfielder is the name at the top of everyone's list.

And if he tops Liverpool's, he may well be heading there. Sky's claim is that Alonso made a verbal agreement with Leverkusen when he renewed his contract last August.

The agreement was that he can leave the club before the end of that contract in 2026 but only for one of his former clubs - Liverpool, Real Madrid or Bayern Munich. This is not a written, contractual agreement but simply a verbal one. There's also no clause there that a club can trigger.

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Alonso was heavily linked with the Real job before Carlo Ancelotti extended his deal. That essentially rules out any chance that he's heading there, while it feels unlikely that he'd leave Leverkusen for Bayern anytime soon.

Liverpool, though, will be looking for a new manager and Alonso has previously spoken of his desire to manage the club one day. Our fan poll suggests Reds overwhelmingly want to see him in charge from next season, too.

If that verbal agreement is there - and Leverkusen are willing to honour it - then it appears Liverpool can get Alonso if he's their no.1 choice. Of course, others are in the running but it's difficult to see an available manager better-suited to the job.

Alonso's efforts with Leverkusen have been incredible, while he knows Liverpool inside out. He may well be the next manager at Anfield.