It did not take long after Friday's shocking news for speculation to begin as to who will replace Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager.
The German announced on Friday morning that he will vacate his role at the end of the current season, citing the relentless strain and energy demands of leading the club as the prime reason for wanting a break from management.
Given the fact Klopp has been manager at Liverpool since October 2015, his departure is seismic, and the club's care in selecting his replacement will be a crucial defining factor of the next few seasons.
The obvious names have been brought up in the hours since Klopp's bombshell announcement. Steven Gerrard was always going to be linked with the job, while the excellence of Roberto de Zerbi and Ange Postecoglou in the Premier League in recent months has seen their names mentioned too. Klopp's assistant Pep Lijnders may seem like an obvious choice to step up.
However, the name most heavily linked with replacing Klopp is Liverpool legend Xabi Alonso.
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Xabi Alonso refuses to be drawn on links to Liverpool job
Since moving into management, Alonso has a more impressive track record than many of his contemporary ex-players.
Most notable is the fact that his current club, Bayer Leverkusen, are in with a serious shot of ending Bayern Munich's monopoly over the Bundesliga. Alonso's side remain unbeaten and four points clear at the top of the league table over halfway through the season.
Alonso addressed the media on Friday afternoon ahead of Bayer's weekend assignment against Borussia Monchengladbach and, naturally, was quizzed on his interest in returning to his former club.
"What’s going to happen in the future I don’t know"
Xabi Alonso reacting to Jurgen Klopp's decision to leave Liverpool 💭 pic.twitter.com/dKGbqyyFuk— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) January 26, 2024
Alonso drove home that he was happy in Germany, and had not made plans to leave Leverkusen any time soon.
Despite this, he appeared to leave the door open for an approach - all the more intriguing when one considers that Liverpool do not appear to have a replacement lined up for Klopp:
At the moment, I am really happy here. I am really enjoying my work here, I am feeling that each day is a challenge. Each game is a challenge. We are on an intense but beautiful journey here in Leverkusen. I am trying to give my best to help my players and be ready for the next thing.
That's my goal - what will come next, I don't know.
To be honest, I am not in the moment to think about the next step. I'm thinking about where I am right now, and I think that I am in a great place, and I'm enjoying it. I think it's the right place.
That's all I can say...what's going to happen in the future, I don't know. I don't really care at the moment.
The 42-year-old seems adamant to see out the journey he is currently on with Bayer Leverkusen - but his open-ended answers about the future did nothing to suggest he has closed himself off from the potential of managing Liverpool in the years to come.
25 May 2005; Xabi Alonso, Liverpool, celebrates at the end of the game. UEFA Champions League Final, Liverpool v AC Milan, Atatürk Olympic Stadium, Istanbul, Turkey. Picture credit; David Maher / SPORTSFILE
Alonso played for Liverpool for five seasons in the 2000s, scoring in the iconic 2005 Champions League final comeback win against AC Milan. A fan favourite at Liverpool, he went on to win another Champions League medal during his time with Real Madrid, before finishing his career at Bayern Munich.
He remains closely associated with his former club on Merseyside - revealing in 2022 that he had recommended Liverpool as an ideal destination to Spanish midfielder Thiago before he signed in 2020.
The coming months will be defined by speculation as to who will replace Jurgen Klopp - and Liverpool could certainly do much worse than appoint Xabi Alonso, if they can prise him away from Bayer Leverkusen.
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