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.

MOHAMED SALAH SET TO LEAVE LIVERPOOL: FENERBAHCE PREPARE STUNNING THREE-YEAR CONTRACT OFFER

After a decade at Anfield, Mohamed Salah's next move is the talk of football. Will he join Messi or stay in European leagues?

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Salah Rejects Saudi Millions - Photo Credit: Getty Images

Mohamed Salah looks set to leave Liverpool this summer, and it sounds like he wants to stay in Europe. One of the hottest rumours right now is about Fenerbahçe; they’re ready to offer him a three-year deal worth around £52 million. That’s a huge pay packet, but probably not as big as what he’d get in Saudi Arabia.

Salah’s been on Merseyside for almost a decade, and it’s hard to overstate just how much he’s done for Liverpool. Since joining in 2017 with Jurgen Klopp in charge, he’s picked up two Premier League titles, a Champions League medal, an FA Cup, and two League Cups. Pretty impressive, honestly. But this season hasn’t gone his way, and new boss Arne Slot dropped him for a few games after his form dipped. When Salah announced in March that he’d be leaving, people started up with transfer rumours right away.

In recent years, clubs from the Saudi Pro League have shown considerable interest. Last year, Al Ittihad went as far as slapping a £150 million offer on the table, but Liverpool turned it down.

Now the story goes that Salah wants to stay in Europe even though he’d pocket way more in Saudi Arabia. Reports out of Egypt claim Fenerbahce, managed by Jose Mourinho’s old club, have already sat down with Salah’s agent. They apparently laid out their big plans, offering £17.3 million a year with a three-year contract, and they want to build the team around him to end their league title drought stretching back to 2014.

There’s also talk of Real Madrid getting involved. Still, their transfer policy usually steers clear of handing massive contracts to players pushing the end of their careers, even superstars like Salah. Clubs in Italy, like Roma, Juventus, and Inter Milan, are keeping tabs on him too. And just to make things more interesting, someone floated the idea of Salah joining up with Lionel Messi at Inter Miami in the MLS, though the league's salary cap throws a wrench into that.

At this point, everybody’s watching Salah’s next move; the only certainty is that he won’t be short of offers when he finally says goodbye to Liverpool.

WHY IS LIVERPOOL HESITATING TO HIRE XABI ALONSO DESPITE OVERWHELMING FAN SUPPORT?

Liverpool has contacted Real Madrid to investigate Xabi Alonso’s tenure, as pressure grows on current manager Arne Slot at Anfield.

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Liverpool Seek "Inside Scoop" From Madrid On Alonso’s Sacking Background - Photo Credit: Getty Images

Liverpool have reached out to Real Madrid to ask about Xabi Alonso, but honestly, there’s some debate going on behind the scenes. People have been talking about Alonso stepping in at Anfield, especially since Arne Slot’s season hasn’t gone over well. Fans let out some boos after that 1-1 draw with Chelsea, and the mood is pretty tense. Even though Slot led Liverpool to a league title last year, quite a few supporters seem fed up with him and would rather see Alonso take charge.

But Spanish outlet AS says Liverpool have contacted Real Madrid to get the inside scoop on what happened during Alonso’s time at the club. It sounds like the decision-makers at Liverpool are starting to feel unsure about him, and they might actually stick with Slot for another season.

Alonso landed the Real Madrid job last summer after doing wonders at Bayer Leverkusen. Still, just six months in, Madrid let him go, reportedly because the locker room was falling apart. Liverpool’s relationship with Real Madrid is strong, and they apparently want some honest feedback – kind of like asking for a reference from a past employer, which isn’t unusual.

Liverpool’s spot in next year’s Champions League is almost locked in, but with two games left, it’s not guaranteed yet. When asked about the boos, Slot admitted he has some work to do to win fans over.

He said, “Not this season. Fans won’t change their minds now. But if we get the summer we’re planning, I’m convinced we’ll be a different team next season. Results, style, everything. It’s not always easy, though. Sometimes you know what needs fixing, but getting what you want isn’t so simple. This season, it’s been pretty clear what we’re missing. We’re trying to solve it, but one issue is simply having enough fit players. Still, our guys show every week in the second half that they’re giving everything they’ve got.”

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