Liverpool’s hunt for Jurgen Klopp’s successor has hit a snag, with best choice Xabi Alonso distancing himself from the function.
Currently main Bayer Leverkusen’s title problem within the Bundesliga, Alonso is making waves in his first senior teaching function, even outpacing Bayern Munich by 5 factors after a 3-0 victory over Thomas Tuchel’s group on the weekend. But Alonso has dismissed rumours, stating he is content material the place he’s. And his sporting director Simon Rolfes can also be assured he’ll keep past the summer season (through the Mirror).
READ MORE: ‘I adopted Xabi Alonso’s managerial profession from day one – his Liverpool stance issues’
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Klopp, although, made his admiration clear on Friday, saying: “Xabi is doing an unbelievable job. If there wouldn’t be the rumours round, that’s utterly unbiased. If you’d have requested me eight weeks in the past about Xabi Alonso I might have gone: ‘Oh my God.’
“The dinosaurs if you want – Ancelotti, Mourinho, Guardiola, maybe me – we will not do it for the next 20 years. OK, maybe Mourinho will. The next generation is already there and I would say Xabi is standout in that department.”
Who ought to Liverpool flip to if Alonso will not be obtainable? Tell us within the feedback part under
(Image: Bayer 04 Leverkusen through Getty Images)
If Alonso does win the Bundesliga or the Europa League, he might properly wish to keep put and see out his contract till June 2026. So listed here are 5 potential options for Liverpool…
Pep Lijnders
One of the choices is Pep Lijnders, a Dutchman who joined Liverpool as a coach in 2014. Despite briefly leaving in 2018 to handle NEC in his homeland, he rapidly returned. The 41-year-old has been Klopp’s right-hand man all through his tenure and earned some enormous reward from the person himself.
“The most influential guy in the last years definitely in this club was Pep Lijnders,” Klopp stated lately. “The job he did is absolutely exceptional. The inspiration he is for me is absolutely exceptional.”
(Image: AFP through Getty Images)
However, like Klopp, Lijnders has introduced that he’s leaving. Lijnders defined: “It’s not easy leaving such a club.
“But in life, I really feel at all times you must do the fitting factor and the fitting factor implies that in the summertime we stated we proceed and we go together with all we’ve got, we make it ‘the Last Dance’, we make it like a correct ending.”
Lijnders is leaving to find a managerial role elsewhere. But those ambitions could feasibly be fulfilled at Liverpool, were the club to offer him the job.
Roberto De Zerbi
Brighton would have something to say about De Zerbi leaving for Merseyside, but it is unlikely they would be able to stop him leaving if Liverpool came calling. The Italian is an ambitious man and would surely be tempted by the step up.
De Zerbi is a bit like Klopp with his big energy and love for football. He’s had ups and downs at Brighton and sometimes mixes up the team a lot, which could be a worry.
“I’m very unhappy, we’re shedding top-of-the-line coaches on the earth,” he said about Klopp. “His persona, I like him due to his vitality and character. If he alters leagues it isn’t an excellent factor for the Premier League.”
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Ruben Amorim
The boss of Sporting Lisbon is sizzling property proper now. Reports from Spain say Barcelona would possibly need him to take over from Xavi Hernandez. Amorim might value 30million (£25m) to get out of his contract, however that is no drawback for large golf equipment like Liverpool or Barcelona.
Since becoming a member of Sporting in March 2020, Amorim has received a great deal of video games. He even obtained them their first Portuguese league title in 19 years throughout his first full season. It seems like Amorim will get a high job exterior Portugal quickly perhaps Liverpool will snap him up first.
(Image: Pedro Loureiro/Getty Images)
Zinedine Zidane
Since stepping down from his function as Real Madrid supervisor for the second time in May 2021, Zidane’s identify has been linked with quite a few positions. He’s reportedly turned down gives from the United States and Brazil, holding out for the fitting alternative.
While he would possibly seem to be an extended shot for Liverpool, there is not any denying Zidane’s profitable pedigree – two La Liga trophies and three Champions League titles with Real communicate for themselves.
His document of 174 wins from 263 video games as Real’s boss is spectacular however can he replicate this success elsewhere? That’s one thing Liverpool should contemplate rigorously.
(Image: Anadolu through Getty Images)
Graham Potter
Not way back, Potter was the discuss of the city within the Premier League as a result of his work with Brighton. Chelsea have been so impressed they forked out £21.5m to convey him and his group on board in September 2022.
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However, issues did not pan out at Chelsea, the place excessive expectations and little endurance left him little room for fulfillment. Despite that, he is nonetheless tipped for a comeback in administration and, given the fitting alternative, there’s each likelihood he might make a profitable return.
One of the principle challenges Potter confronted at Chelsea was managing large egos and coping with the pressures that include a high membership. Whether he has the persona to fill Klopp’s boots is one thing Liverpool’s bosses will want to consider.