I played with Xabi Alonso at Liverpool and I'm just worried about him replacing Jurgen Klopp as manager.

Peter Crouch believes his former Liverpool team-mate Xabi Alonso could be an excellent successor to Jurgen Klopp – but it may be too soon.

In January, Klopp announced would leave his role as Liverpool boss at the end of the season after delivering every major silverware during a brilliant nine-year spell on Merseyside.

alonsowho played 158 times for the Reds between 2004 and 2009, quickly became the favorite to replace.

The 42-year-old has impressed as Bayer Leverkusen manager since October 2022 and currently sits at the top of the Bundesliga, ten points ahead of Bayern Munich.

Crouch spent three years playing alongside the Spaniard at Liverpool and made a terrible first impression when he told his teammates that “he thought he had a chance' with a woman who turned out to be Alonso's wife.

Despite starting off on the wrong foot, the retired 6ft 7in forward has nothing but good things to say about Alonso and is not surprised by his rapid rise as a coach.

“An act of absolute class as a man,” Crouch described Alonso during a talkSPORT breakfast appearance on Wednesday.

“Even at that age, it was kind of a bond between the coach and the players. He was like he was some kind of leader of the Spanish contingent that Rafa (Benítez) brought.

“Everyone loved him as a person, an absolute class act. He could be seen becoming a manager, he was always asking questions, he wanted to know everything about English culture when he was here.”

Alonso finally left Liverpool to real Madrid before finishing his career in Bayern Munichand Crouch believes his knowledge of the three major leagues will help him during his coaching career.

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However, the Englishman admits the fact his former teammate has overseen just 173 games as head coach could be a problem if he takes charge of one of the biggest clubs in world football.

Crouch added: “He has played in Germany. He has played in Spain. He has this whole arsenal and he has also done an incredible job at Leverkusen.

“I think it would be absolutely ideal. The question is whether it comes too early or not, because it is still very, very early in his managerial career.”

An agreement for Alonso's move to Liverpool has not been reached and will not be discussed until he has completed his first full season as Bayern Leverkusen manager.

For now, Liverpool is the competition as they want to lift the European League Alonso remains hopeful of victory after his team recently booked a place in the quarter-finals.