Liverpool next manager: Major Xabi Alonso update as Bayern make Tuchel decision

Bayern Munich are looking to appoint Xabi Alonso as their new coach this summer, according to reports in Germany, in what would be a significant blow to Liverpool. 

The Reds have been heavily linked with a move for their former midfielder Alonso as a successor to Jurgen Klopp. 

The German announced in January his intention to step down from his Anfield duties at the end of the season, citing fatigue, and talk immediately settled on the identity of Klopp’s successor. 

While the likes of Roberto de Zerbi, Ruben Amorim and Julian Nagelsmann have been mentioned as potential managers in waiting, it is Xabi Alonso who shot to the top of the list. 

The 42-year-old is well known to the Kop, having won the Champions League and FA Cup among other honours during his playing days on Merseyside between 2004 and 2009, and has made a stunning start to life as a manager. 

He oversaw promotion to the Spanish Segunda Division for Real Sociedad’s B team in 2021, the first time in 60 years they reached that level, before taking over at Bayer Leverkusen in October 2022. 

Having been appointed as Gerardo Seoane’s replacement with Leverkusen mired in the relegation zone, the World Cup winning midfielder guided the club to sixth place in the Bundesliga. 

Alonso’s original contract was due to expire in 2024 but Leverkusen have moved to safeguard his future by extending those terms to 2026. For their part, they remain confident he will complete his term at the BayArena.

This season, Bayer Leverkusen are on the brink of a historic treble with progress assured in the DFB Pokal and the Europa League and with the club sitting pretty at the top of the Bundesliga. 

They are eight points clear of Bayern Munich in second place with the Bavarians looking set to lose out on the title for the first time in 12 years and Leverkusen looking for a first-ever title. 

Leverkusen are unbeaten to this point, enjoying a German record 32-game unbeaten streak in all competitions, and, as such, former Real Madrid and Bayern midfielder Alonso is the name on everyone’s lips. 

With his emotional connection to Liverpool, it appeared all but inevitable that he would take over from Klopp but now there could be a sting in the tail from one of his other former clubs according to Sky Sports Germany. 

Alonso played for Pep Guardiola at Bayern from 2014 to 2017, winning three German league titles, and his progress as a coach is well known by the higher ups at the club. 

Despite having no sporting director, with Max Eberl not taking over until March, Bayern are making plans to replace the beleaguered Thomas Tuchel as coach at the end of the season at the latest. 

He has overseen a run of three losses, including a 3-0 hammering against Leverkusen two weekends ago, and Bayern are 1-0 down to Lazio in their Champions League last 16 tie on aggregate. 

The 3-2 defeat to lowly Bochum at the weekend was a painful new low with the fallout being felt across the German media this week. Bayern are facing their first trophyless season in 12 years and Tuchel is firmly in the frame to be sacked, with his contract expiring in 2025. 

Sky reporter Florian Plettenberg claims that Alonso is the 'top candidate' and 'plan A' to succeed Tuchel, but the Spaniard is showing no signs of leaving his post at Leverkusen before the summer.

While Alonso is set to see out the season in his current post, the lack of other viable alternatives is another reason why Bayern may end up sticking with Tuchel until the summer.

The latest reports from Germany claim that Bayern would even consider Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as a stop-gap solution, such is the lack of available options. 

There are conflicting reports over Zinedine Zidane, meanwhile, with Corriere dello Sport in Italy stating that contact has been made between the club and the former Champions League winner but German sources could not confirm those reports last night. 

Furthermore, although Hansi Flick has been discussed as a potential returnee, the Bayern hierarchy are thought to be unsure about appointing the treble winner owing to his national team debacle, which ended in the sack. 

Antonio Conte has also thrown his hat in the ring, with Bild reporting that he has described Bayern as his “dream club”, but it would appear that club bosses have now settled on Alonso as their first-choice candidate in the long run. 

If they pull the trigger on Tuchel before the end of the season, expect a Zidane approach, but if they decide to wait until the summer then the race for Alonso will truly hot up.