- Xabi Alonso has been linked in the media
- Arne Slot’s future is in the balance
- Liverpool yet to make a decision
Liverpool have not had the best of seasons under Arne Slot, and a large section of the fans have lost their patience with the Dutchman. The pressure on the head coach has grown amid calls for his sacking, and the media has been linking names to the Reds.
However, Paul Joyce has now suggested in The Times that Xabi Alonso might not be the manager to come in even if Slot gets sacked. He claimed that the Spaniard does not fit the bill at Anfield, mainly because of his tactics.
He reports that there is very little from the club to suggest that the former Real Madrid manager is on their radar, despite holding talks when Jurgen Klopp was leaving.
Xabi Alonso not a Liverpool target for the same reason as Ruben Amorim
Joyce claims that Alonso is not in the Liverpool plans mainly because of his preference to use three at the back. He claims that it was a key reason why the club opted for Slot over Ruben Amorim and wrote:
“Just as it stands to reason that Liverpool do not start scouting wingers when a wide man is needed, so their analysis department is always compiling an understanding of the work of different managers. They would, of course, have studied Xabi Alonso during his time at Bayer Leverkusen, and he knows the club, having spent five years on Merseyside as a player.
“The external expectation is that the Spaniard, who is out of work after his sacking by Real Madrid in January, would be next in line for the managerial role, but there is little to suggest that aligns with internal thinking. Alonso favours a back three, for example, which is one of the reasons why Liverpool did not pursue Ruben Amorim when pressing ahead with Klopp’s successor.”
Amorim joined Manchester United in November 2024, following Erik ten Hag’s sacking. He was also linked with Chelsea and West Ham United, but failed to impress at Old Trafford and was sacked earlier this year.
Xabi Alonso interested in Liverpool job
Alonso has been a free agent since leaving Real Madrid earlier this year. He parted ways with the Spanish side after the Spanish Super Cup loss to Barcelona and has decided to take a break until the summer.
He spoke about the Anfield job earlier this season, leaving the door open for a move in the future. The Spaniard was still at Santiago Bernabeu, when he said that he shares a bond with the Reds and was not ruling out a return as a manager.
“There’s a bond with Liverpool. I’m in the place where I want to be [Real Madrid], you never know what will happen in the future.” (via Fabrizio Romano)
Meanwhile, journalist David Lynch has reported on the Anfield Index Media Matters podcast that the former Bayer Leverkusen manager is keen on holding talks with Liverpool.
