When Liverpool were rocked by the news of Jurgen Klopp’s departure at the end of the season, one name was at the forefront of minds when looking towards a future without the German at the helm: Xabi Alonso.
In over eight years, Klopp has transformed Liverpool from also-rans to serial winners, all during an era that has been dominated by big spending Man City and their manager Pep Guardiola.
Klopp has ingratiated himself with the city and could well go out on an almighty bang, with the Reds top of the Premier League, in the Carabao Cup final and still in both the Europa League and FA Cup.
What is certain is that whoever follows Klopp into the Anfield dugout has a huge act to follow, both on the pitch and how they conduct themselves off it.
Alonso was quickly installed as the bookmakers’ favourite after the incredible job he has done as Bayer Leverkusen manager so far.
The Spaniard has guided the German side away from initial relegation trouble to a European semi-final last season, and a chance of winning three trophies this term.
Bayer are top of the Bundesliga table, having not lost a single game this term, and still in both the DFB Pokal and Europa League. He could well go out with a bang himself before a potential return to Liverpool as a manager, after five successful seasons there as a player.
But amid all the talk of a possible return to Merseyside, how true are the links, how popular is Alonso in Leverkusen and what would he bring to Anfield as a manager?
Alonso has ‘transformed’ Bayer Leverkusen
“He has transformed the whole club,” Phillip Arens, Bayer Leverkusen reporter at BILD, told Dexerto Sport. “It started last year when he took the club from 17th position and transformed the club to a hype I have never witnessed at Leverkusen.
“Xabi Alonso is the main character and he has won 18 trophies so the players believe in him. Everything he touches turns to gold and in such a short time it has been remarkable he has become the most wanted coach in Europe.”
Alonso is very hands on in training sessions and images of him spraying passes around in training went viral earlier this season.
😮💨 Unser Coach @XabiAlonso bei der Arbeit. #Bayer04 | #Werkself pic.twitter.com/jQHWCAvOnI
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04fussball) October 17, 2023
But he is also a very deep strategical thinker. In the last game before Christmas, Leverkusen beat Bochum 4-0 and he left out three players who were going to the African Cup of Nations in January to test out the team before they were gone.
Alonso’s ability to see problems before they manifest themselves has led some German observers to describe him as a ‘mastermind in finding solutions’.
But one of his key qualities is his emotional intelligence and making every squad member feel like they are on the journey.
“There was a remarkable moment which showed Xabi Alonso’s character,” Arens added. “In the Europa League game against Molde, when they had won the group, he gave the third goalkeeper a chance who hadn’t played for about three years.
“Niklas Lomb was cheered by 30,000 people and this is something he will pay back now in every training session. This is the man Xabi Alonso is.”
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The ‘gentleman’s agreement’ and why Liverpool hold the edge over their rivals
Reports have suggested Alonso had an affordable clause in his contract that would allow him to speak to former clubs Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich if they wanted him to become their manager.
That has been dismissed by Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro, but it is understood there is a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ in place should one of those clubs come knocking.
“He would be a logical follow-on from Jurgen Klopp,” Arens continued. “It was the same when there was speculation about Real Madrid. He will never say he won’t go or he will never say he will stay definitely. He is too clever for this.
“But, of course, there is a gentleman’s agreement between Leverkusen and Alonso when he signed his new deal that there are three clubs he is allowed to speak with when there is an offer. It is Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Liverpool because he played for them.
“There is nothing official. It hasn’t been confirmed but nobody has denied it. The club were happy when Ancelotti signed his new contract at Real.
“The new speculation is under way and the comments on Liverpool social media channels are normal because they see what he is doing.
“We don’t know what will happen with [Thomas] Tuchel at Bayern and whether he will be there at the end of the season. Every top class club in Europe will be looking at Alonso. This is normal.
“To my mind he is a Red more than a Blanco or a Bayern Munich player. At Liverpool he became a world class player. Xabi Alonso is somebody who never forgets where he comes from.”
Finishing the job at Leverkusen
Leverkusen have not won a trophy since their German Cup success in 1993 and have never won the Bundesliga, finishing runners up on five occasions.
The club are still scarred from their incredible 2001/02 campaign where they finished runners up by a point in the Bundesliga and lost both the finals of the Champions League and DFB Pokal.
Their manager that season, Klaus Toppmöller, has already backed Alonso to go one better and win a trophy, describing him as already one of the best coaches in Europe.
“Now, he will never forget Leverkusen gave him a chance with a very good club, with very good infrastructure and a very good organisation,” Arens concluded.
“He has been a title collector but he has won nothing as a coach yet. Maybe in May he has three trophies but at Leverkusen if he wins something it will be the first trophy since 1993.
“If he won the German Championship he could win nothing more here. He would be a legend forever.”
That would be a fitting way to bow out, should he succeed Klopp as Liverpool manager.