Liverpool have been dealt a serious blow in their search for a new manager when Xabi Alonso, the front-runner for the job, turned them down.
The former Reds midfielder, 42, had been strongly linked with replacing Jurgen Klopp at Anfield, but he now plans to stay with runaway German league leaders Bayer Leverkusen.
The bombshell leaves Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim as the leading candidate, alongside Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi. Amorim, 39, is expected to be given an interview after he scored well on Liverpool’s data tests.
Bayern Munich had declared their desire to recruit Alonso, perhaps a tactic to unsettle Leverkusen’s title tilt, but club president Uli Hoeness said yesterday it would be ‘probably impossible’ to bring the Spaniard to Munich this year.
He added: ‘Alonso is more inclined to stay at Bayer Leverkusen in view of their current successes, because he would not want to leave them behind.
Xabi Alonso will not be Liverpool’s next manager after Jurgen Klopp because he wishes to stay in Germany
Sporting CP boss Ruben Amorim has emerged as the new favourite for the Liverpool job
‘Let’s say if he had two or three more years of success, it would probably be easier to get him out of there.’
Liverpool’s recruitment drive, led by new sporting director Richard Hughes and CEO of football Michael Edwards, now focuses on Amorim and De Zerbi, whose Brighton side visit Anfield on Sunday.
Alonso, who was seen as Liverpool’s dream target, has overseen a revolution at Bayer Leverkusen since joining in October 2022.
When he signed up, they were in the relegation zone but he steered them into the top six.
This campaign, they are 10 points clear of Bayern Munich at the top of the Bundesliga, unbeaten all season, and into the last eight of the Europa League for a second year running.
It has been a historic season, with Leverkusen on course to lift their first Bundesliga title barring an almighty breakdown, and they have only conceded 18 goals in the process.
After cutting his teeth for three seasons with Real Sociedad B, he has re-energised the Rhine club and won 50 of his 75 games in charge, only losing 10.
Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi sits behind leading candidate Amorim for the job
Klopp will leave Liverpool in the summer after almost nine years at the helm, having joined in October 2015
Liverpool were expected to compete with Bayern Munich for his signature, given that Thomas Tuchel will depart the latter in the summer.
Bayern are facing the prospect of their first season without winning a trophy since 2011-12 – following 11 consecutive title wins – and have thus deemed Tuchel surplus to requirements.
Liverpool’s attention now turns to Amorim and De Zerbi at the top of their shortlist, both candidates boasting considerable credentials.
Amorim has already led Sporting CP to one Portuguese league title and they are top of the table again this time around.
De Zerbi guided Brighton to sixth in the Premier League last season and got them to the last 16 of the Europa League in their maiden continental venture. The Seagulls will visit Anfield on Sunday.
Alonso could still manage against Liverpool this season, with the Merseyside outfit and Leverkusen both through to the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
They are on opposite sides of the draw, meaning they could meet in the final on May 22.
Reports in Germany this month had claimed that Bayern were ahead of Liverpool in the race to hire Alonso, while former Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys claimed earlier this week that the 42-year-old manager had decided to move to Liverpool.
Bayern’s honorary president Uli Hoeness said on Thursday that it would be ‘probably impossible’ to lure away Alonso
Thomas Tuchel will leave Bayern Munich at the end of the season and they could reportedly turn to Ralf Rangnick as a successor
Yet it now appears that neither Bayern or Liverpool will get their man.
Bayern honorary president Hoeness added: ‘I personally, we all, extremely appreciate Xabi Alonso, but you mustn’t forget that he is now training at a club that is currently in the process of becoming German champions.’
Bayern could reportedly turn to Ralf Rangnick as their successor to Tuchel – something Manchester United fans might have a thing or two to say about.
Rangnick, the current Austria manager, spent six months as United’s interim boss in the 2021/22 season, steering them to sixth and the worst points total in their Premier League history.
