Two journalists deliver worrying Xabi Alonso update to Liverpool

Liverpool have received a worrying update on Xabi Alonso by two journalists. The Reds have the Spaniard at the top of their shortlist.

Florian Plettenberg has reported that Bayern Munich now have the best chance at hiring Xabi Alonso this summer, rather than Liverpool. It appears that the entire management at Bayern are behind the idea of Alonso and are all moving quickly to get him.

Worryingly, this is backed up by Gianluca Di Marzio, who has heard the same thing.

"News [on] Alonso: [Di Marzio] confirms our exclusive news that FC Bayern - at this stage - has the best chances to sign him!" Plettenberg wrote on X. "IF he should leave Leverkusen in the summer …

"Di Marzio says: 'I thought Liverpool were ahead of Bayern two or three weeks ago, but now Bayern are moving quickly because they believe he's the perfect coach for the future. At the moment Bayern are ahead of Liverpool!'

"ALL of the bosses want to sign Alonso. [Uli] Hoeneß, [Karl-Heinz] Rummenigge, all members of the board. He is supposed to shape a new era. To sign Alonso is the main task for [Max] Eberl now."

Liverpool fall behind in Alonso race

It's worrying, certainly, but this also felt a little inevitable once Bayern entered the race for Alonso. But we're taking this less as the Bayer Leverkusen boss holding one over the other and more than Bayern have made him unequivocally their no.1 target.

Liverpool likely haven't done that. They want to appoint a sporting director before hiring a new manager, thus they probably aren't 100% on their target. Ruben Amorim, for instance, remains a major option for the Reds.

One positive is that 'moving quickly' shouldn't affect things too much. Alonso has been clear from the start that he doesn't want to make any sort of commitment to a team before the end of the season. So as long as Liverpool don't wait too long to appoint their director, they have time.

But Bayern aren't wasting time and are a true threat here. Hopefully, news like this can spark some movement at Anfield.