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XABI ALONSO TURNS HEADS, DETAILS DECISION TO REJECT LIVERPOOL JOB

Xabi Alonso reveals he never considered replacing Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool, explaining his past commitment to Bayer Leverkusen. The now-Real Madrid boss returns to Anfield for a Champions League clash against his former club.

Xabi Alonso turns heads, details decision to reject Liverpool job
Alonso clarifies his stance after Klopp announcement - Photo Credit: Getty Images

After Jurgen Klopp's unexpected departure, Xabi Alonso already acknowledged that he never considered taking over as manager of Liverpool. Klopp shocked the football community in January 2024 when he announced his intention to retire at the end of the current campaign.

With many possible candidates being hailed for the role, including Alonso as the clear favourite, this allowed the Reds ample opportunity to find a substitute for him. The Spaniard was strongly linked to the position because of his outstanding accomplishments with Bayer Leverkusen at the time and his reputation as a beloved character from his five years as a player there.

When Leverkusen played the Reds in the Champions League last year, Alonso made his comeback to Anfield. However, he had a difficult night as the defending Bundesliga winners were crushed 4-0, due to goals from Cody Gakpo and Luis Diaz.

The 43-year-old clarified his dedication to Leverkusen before the game, addressing the earlier rumours that he was considering a position at Liverpool before Arne Slot's eventual hiring.

"I had a major deal with the Leverkusen players at the time, and we were extremely focused on that," Alonso stated. "I have watched Klopp do a lot of different things here, but I have also followed Slot.

"I am aware of his methodology, but when paired with the energy at Liverpool, they have a winning combination that explains their dominance in the Premier League and Champions League. The procedure functions incredibly well since they are really powerful in every area.

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"In just three months, the manager has performed admirably. They have a ton of choices, including Gakpo, Diaz, Tsimikas, Robertson, Szoboszlai, and Mac Allister.

Alonso ended speculation about his managerial future just two months after Klopp's announcement by announcing he would stay in Germany for the 24–25 season.

Since Thomas Tuchel was scheduled to depart his role at Bayern Munich last year, Alonso was also connected to the position. Speaking on his decision to stay at Leverkusen, he said at the time: "I am happy and I am sure it is the right choice. My future has been the subject of much conjecture.

We have played a lot of games up to this point, so we have been really busy and concentrated. I wanted to think things through and make a choice over the international break. The players' dedication, passion, and hunger for a successful season provided me with a lot of reasons to continue to believe in the club. This is not where my work ends.

After taking over for Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid, another of his previous clubs, at the end of the previous season, Alonso finally left the German team. When his new team plays Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday, the former Reds midfielder will make his return to Anfield.

There will be other well-known faces returning to Merseyside besides Alonso. After leaving Liverpool in the summer, Trent Alexander-Arnold may play against his boyhood team for the first time.

Alexander-Arnold responded to a question about what he would do if he scored during the match by telling Prime Video Sport, "I would not celebrate if I scored.

Under Alonso, Real Madrid has had a fantastic start to the season. In the La Liga standings, Los Blancos are now five points ahead of Barcelona.

BREAKING: CURTIS JONES REVEALS MO SALAH’S PRIVATE LOCKER ROOM APOLOGY AFTER EXPLOSIVE OUTBURST

Curtis Jones confirms Mo Salah apologised to the Liverpool locker room after his "thrown under the bus" rant. Get the full story.

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What Mo Salah Really Said To The Liverpool Squad

Curtis Jones says Mo Salah apologised to the Liverpool locker room after that fiery interview earlier this month. The Reds midfielder says the team's all good with the Egypt forward, even though he ripped into the club, saying they threw him under the bus after the tough draw with Leeds.

Flashback: Salah's Interview After Leeds Game

After starting on the bench for the third time in a row in that 3-3 draw with Leeds, Salah didn't hold back. He felt like someone was trying to pin the blame on him and said things were rocky with the manager, Arne Slot.

He said, “I can’t believe it; I’m very, very bummed. I’ve done a lot for this club, especially last season.

“I was promised stuff over the summer, and now I’m benched for three games. They’re not keeping their word. I used to get along with the manager, but now we don’t.

“I’m not sure why, but it feels like someone doesn’t want me here.”

Slot Says It's All Good Now

But after sitting out the Inter Milan game in the Champions League (which they won 1-0), Salah was back for the 2-0 win against Brighton last Saturday.

He came on for the injured Joe Gomez and even set up Hugo Ekitike's goal.

Slot downplayed the situation, saying there's nothing to sort out and it was an easy call to sub Salah in against Brighton.

With Salah now with the Egypt squad for the Africa Cup of Nations, Slot says everyone's moved on from the interview.

Jones: Salah Cleared the Air

Like his manager, Jones says there are no hard feelings towards Salah. He says Salah owned up to it in the locker room.

Jones told Sky Sports, “Mo’s his own man. He said sorry to us, like, 'If I bugged anyone or made you feel bad, I'm sorry.' That’s just him.

“He was cool with everyone, same old Mo. Big smile, and everyone was the same with him. It’s just because he wants to win, and he won’t be the last guy to get heated.

“If a dude’s just okay with being benched and doesn’t want to play and help, that's a bigger deal.

“Any anger we’ve had, including me, comes from a good place. It might not come out right, but it’s never about hurting the team, staff, manager, or anyone. We’re over it, getting along, playing well and winning.”

Jones: Team's Still Behind Salah

Jones got emotional himself after that 4-1 loss to PSV Eindhoven on November 26, calling Liverpool’s performance not good enough and saying he was past being angry.

“I’m a Scouser, so I get how much it means to the city, fans, club, and staff,” Jones said. It's probably the first time I've been in a spot like this. I spoke up because I was honest. I say what I think, and sometimes it bugs people.

I was angry and shocked. But the lads were great. They didn’t blame Mo, the manager, or each other. Everyone took responsibility.

“So, the fans and the Mo stuff haven’t messed us up. We just need to win, but nobody’s pointing fingers. That’s what matters.”

Up Next: Liverpool at Tottenham (Without Salah)

Jones wants to help Liverpool grab those three points when they play Tottenham on Saturday night. Since his post-PSV comments, the local lad has helped his team go five games without a loss in all competitions.

Salah is set to start for Egypt against Zimbabwe next Monday in their AFCON opener. They also play South Africa on Boxing Day and Angola on December 29 in Group B, with the tournament in Morocco.

LIVERPOOL NEWS: ALEXANDER ISAK REJECTS “WORST SLUMP” CLAIMS AFTER HISTORIC SWEDISH AWARD WIN

Alexander Isak addresses his acrimonious Newcastle exit and groin injury as he prepares for Liverpool’s clash with Tottenham.

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Alexander Isak Vows to End Liverpool Slump

Alexander Isak says he's going to fight to get back to the form that made Liverpool drop £125m on him back in September. The British transfer fee record-breaker is adamant that he's not in the worst slump of his career.

Isak came to Merseyside after a summer-long drama. He skipped Newcastle United's pre-season tour and trained alone at his old club, Real Sociedad, without Eddie Howe's OK.

Because of the messy exit from Newcastle, the No. 9 didn't get any preseason action. So, he wasn't in top shape when he made his big move to Anfield on deadline day.

The 26-year-old also had a groin injury in October that kept him out for a month. He's only scored one Premier League goal for Liverpool so far, in the 2-0 win against West Ham United in late November. Right now, he doesn't look like the same player he was at Newcastle, where he scored 23 goals last season.

Isak won the 2025 Swedish Golden Ball for his play for club and country this past year. In an interview, he said he's ready to battle back to the level that made him one of the Premier League's most feared strikers before his transfer.

"[Liverpool's interest] was the most interesting thing for me," Isak said. I knew pretty early this was where I wanted to be because of the club's history, where it is now, and where it's going.

"I don't really know why it's been slow," Isak said. Of course, it has been slow for the team. But that's football. Some teams are hot; others are not. We have to turn things around. I've been through rough patches before, and you just have to fight through them.

Isak added, I'm not sure what period has been the hardest. It's all experience, good and bad. I’ve had tougher times in every team I've been on, except for the loan in Holland (Willem II). Dortmund, Spain, Newcastle, and here. I don't focus on which place was the toughest. I see them as experiences that will make me a better person and player.

We football players live differently. We don't think too much about it. I don't judge things too much during the season, even when things are going well. You should evaluate after the season. There's no point in overthinking during.

I want to be able to look back and be proud of what I did. Not just on the field, but the experiences from playing in different countries.

Isak might start when Liverpool plays Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday. The Reds will be trying to stay unbeaten for the sixth straight game.

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