Xabi Alonso 'UNLIKELY' to turn down Liverpool approach

Xabi Alonso remains the 'favourite' to succeed Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager at the end of the season, with the Bayer Leverkusen manager 'unlikely' to turn down talks.

Following Klopp's shock decision to stand down from his role at the end of the current campaign, Alonso quickly emerged as the frontrunner to take over at Anfield.

The 42-year-old has a clear connection with Liverpool, where he spent five years as a player between 2004 and 2009, winning both the Champions League and FA Cup.

Since leaving, Alonso has regularly spoken fondly of Liverpool as both a club and city, while his son was also born on Merseyside.

As well as the more emotional credentials, Alonso is also fast developing into one of the world's best young coaches.

His Bayer Leverkusen are on course for their first-ever Bundesliga title and remain unbeaten in all competitions this season.

Recently, Klopp described the former midfield playmaker as one of the standout coaches of the new generation in what could be seen as a tacit endorsement of his potential successor.

The Telegraph now reports that despite speculation over other options, Alonso remains Liverpool's "preferred option" and "favourite", with the club looking for a coach who can create a "powerful and emotional union between staff, players and supporters".

However, while speculation rages over competing interest from Bayern Munich, the report notes that Liverpool intend to be "respectful" of both Alonso and Leverkusen during a pivotal moment in a potentially historic season for the club, while talks over the Anfield role "can be held as and when all parties deem it most appropriate."

This is backed up the Guardian who add that the Reds want to respect Alonso's Bundesliga title bid, rather than enter a public courtship as Bayern have done.

Some recent reports in Germany have suggested that Alonso is more likely to take the Bayern role, with Klopp too big an act to follow at Anfield. However, stories vary wildly depending on the source, while Alonso himself has kept his cards close to his chest amid all the noise.

The Telegraph adds that Sporting CP head coach Ruben Amorim is also admired, in the "unlikely event" that Alonso turns down the opportunity to at least hear Liverpool out.

Michael Edwards talks

The report adds that once Liverpool finish setting up their new behind-the-scenes structure in the coming weeks, the process of appointing the new manager can be stepped up.

While the Reds are seeking a new sporting director to replace interim appointee Jorg Schmadtke, who left at the end of January, the club has also held talks with Michael Edwards over a possible return in a new role.

The exact details of the new role are unclear, with Edwards having previously rejected the chance to re-join as sporting director. The Telegraph claim the new offer will be for a senior position, "most likely as an overseer of football operations".