Prior to hiring Arne Slot as Jurgen Klopp’s successor, Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso was heavily linked with the then-vacant managerial role at Liverpool.
According to Bild‘s Head of Football, Christian Falk, in February 2024, the Reds had made contact with the Spaniard’s agent, Inaki Ibanez, enquiring about Alonso’s availability, with the Leverkusen executives informed directly of the request.
But instead of returning to the Merseyside club where he spent five of his playing years, he chose to stay with the German outfit, with him under contract until June 2026.
Alonso Committed His Future to Leverkusen
The former Liverpool midfielder has enjoyed a plethora of success in Germany
In what was just his first full season as manager, Alonso took the seemingly impossible and made it possible, leading his side to a domestic double – whilst going unbeaten – winning the Bundesliga title for the first time in their history, while they also won the DFB-Pokal. Having gone 51 wins without defeat, their streak finally ended in their final game of the 2023/24 season, where they suffered a 3-0 loss to Atalanta in the 2024 UEFA Europa League final.
Bringing a plethora of success in such a short time, having taken over when they were in the relegation zone and leading them to sixth place in the league that same season, Alonso emerged as one of Europe’s brightest young managers, which attracted the attention of many top European clubs, including Liverpool, who needed to fill the void after losing Klopp following his nine seasons in charge.
But, the Spaniard turned down the opportunity to re-join Liverpool, and committed his future to Leverkusen, later detailing in a press conference, via the Liverpool Echo, that he felt he was already with the club that could help him continue to develop as a coach.
“For sure, all of the decisions you need to analyse well. I try to take the right ones, I try to take them in a natural way and at this moment I felt that this is the best place for me to be, for me to develop as a coach. I am a young coach, but I have to feel it. Right now, I feel this is the right place. I have to thank the management, the club has been really, really supportive, and I feel really respected by all of the departments.”
Furthermore, Alonso cited his fellow staff and players as integral to why he wanted to stay and build upon the foundations he had already laid at Leverkusen, believing that they could achieve even more together.
“Great staff help me day by day to work better and improve and to prepare the team. And, for sure, the players. They gave me so many reasons to keep believing in the team; their commitment, their desire, their hunger to have a great season.
“I feel my job is not over here, and I want to help them, I want to help the team, I want to help the young players develop. And if I am part of the process, I am happy with that.”
Alonso Could Yet Move to a Bigger Club
Has been strongly linked with a move to Real Madrid in recent weeks
So far this season, Leverkusen sit fourth in the Bundesliga table, seven points off league-leaders Bayern, having won four, drawn four, and lost one of their nine outings.
But looking into the future, it seems only a matter of time before Alonso departs from the German club and heads to one of Europe’s juggernauts, and it could be sooner rather than later, with reports that Real Madrid are exploring the possibility of making a managerial change next summer.
According to Luis Miguelsanz of SPORT, Madrid president Florentino Perez was left red-faced after Los Blancos’ 4-0 defeat to Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu and has reportedly “already given orders” to try and recruit Alonso to take over from Carlo Ancelotti from next summer, despite having just extended the Italian’s contract after a 2023/24 campaign in which he led them to a La Liga title and UEFA Champions League.
Xabi Alonso vs. Carlo Ancelotti – 2024/25 Season League Statistics | ||
|---|---|---|
Statistic | Alonso | Ancelotti |
Games | 9 | 11 |
Wins | 4 | 7 |
Draws | 4 | 3 |
Losses | 1 | 1 |
Goals Scored | 20 | 21 |
Goals Conceded | 15 | 11 |
Not only did they lose to their biggest rivals in embarrassing fashion, in which star summer signing Kylian Mbappe was caught offside six times in the contest, Madrid also find themselves nine points behind Barcelona – albeit with a game in-hand – in the league table.
As such, it appears that Madrid executives believe the situation with Ancelotti at the helm has “gotten out of hand”, with Alonso viewed as Perez’s number-one choice to be the leader of their new era.
While Alonso’s contract with Leverkusen runs through to June 2026, he does have a release clause in his deal, which Madrid may well look to trigger as early as next summer once it kicks in next July.
One thing is for certain, though, Alonso will eventually move elsewhere. Could he even succeed Slot at Liverpool one day? Who knows – it is certainly possible, but with the Reds currently leading the race for the 2024/25 Premier League title, that possibility seems a long way off yet, while Madrid could come calling imminently.
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt, and FBREF.com – accurate as of 04/11/2024.