Xabi Alonso announces decision to stay at Bayer Leverkusen as Liverpool consider other options
Xabi Alonso will stay at Bayer Leverkusen rather than become the new Liverpool manager.
red Legend Alonso was seen as the initial favorite to replace the outgoing Jurgen Klopp, but they are now exploring other options.
The Spanish He has also been heavily linked with a move to his former club Bayern Munich, with Thomas Tuchel set to leave at the end of the season.
However, following initial reports on Thursday night, Alonso has now confirmed his decision to remain at Leverkusen amid an incredible second year in charge of the club.
Speaking on Friday, Alonso said: “We have been here many times. It has been a season with a lot of speculation about my future and we have had a lot of games so far.
“We have been quite busy, quite concentrated and I wanted to take advantage of that time of the international break to reflect a little better and make a decision.
“Last week I had a very good meeting when I informed them of my decision to remain coach of Bayer Leverkusen.”
And he added: “Surely all the decisions had to be analyzed well and I tried to make the right ones. I tried to make those that I feel come naturally and at this moment I felt that this is the best place to be, to develop as a coach.
“I am a young coach, but I have to feel it and now I feel that this is the right place and I have to thank the management, the club, who have supported me a lot.”
The German team are firmly on course to win the Bundesliga title, meaning they will relish the prospect of competing in the Champions League next season.
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Liverpool will therefore look for other contenders with the rumored names of Ruben Amorim and Roberto De Zerbi, with Julian Nagelsmann currently out of work at club level.
Amorim currently sits at the top of the Portuguese top flight with Sporting Lisbon and has also been linked with Chelsea.
De Zerbi has impressed hugely during his time at Brighton, leading them to their first European campaign.
Nagelsmann is the current coach of the German national team and was previously at Bayern, where they won the Bundesliga in 2022.
Whoever Liverpool's next appointment is has huge shoes to fill when Klopp leaves Anfield.
The German will end almost a decade in charge of the Reds, where he has won every major honour.
Klopp has helped Liverpool compete with Manchester City for the Premier League title in recent seasons.
He could end his Liverpool journey on a high with another title in May to add to Carabao Cup success and potential Europa League triumph.
However, Alonso does not appear to be the man to replace him from next season, and Liverpool's search will drag on.
So will Bayern, whose honorary president, Uli Hoeness, admitted that it would be 'very difficult' hire him at the Allianz Arena.
