Liverpool legend Xabi Alonso to choose Bayern Munich over Reds: report

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Liverpool want Xabi Alonso to take over from Jurgen Klopp, with a twist in the race for the former Merseyside midfielder

Liverpool target Coach Xabi Alonso of Bayer Leverkusen before the Bundesliga match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and FC Bayern München at BayArena on February 10, 2024 in Leverkusen, Germany. (Photo by Stefan Matzke - sampics/Corbis via Getty Images)
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Liverpool target Xabi Alonso is set to turn his former side down in favour of a move to Bayern Munich.

The Bayer Leverkusen boss is leading the Bundesliga by eight points, with serial champions Bayern faltering under Thomas Tuchel. This week, Die Roten announced that the former Chelsea and Paris Saint-Germain coach would be stepping down at the end of the season as a result.

With Jurgen Klopp also set to leave his post at the end of the current campaign, both sides are looking to Alonso to take over – with the World Cup-winning midfield metronome now favouring remaining in Germany.

KIRKBY, ENGLAND - JANUARY 26: Jurgen Klopp of Liverpool addresses the media at a club press conference ahead of the Emirates FA Cup tie with Norwich City at AXA Training Centre on January 26, 2024 in Kirkby, England. The club and Jurgen Klopp announced earlier in the day that he was to leave the club at end of the current season bringing an end to his successful nine year spell at the club. (Photo by Nikki Dyer - LFC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Liverpool wanted Alonso to replace Jurgen Klopp  (Image credit: Getty Images)

Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg has claimed that “Xabi Alonso is more willing to join Bayern Munich instead of joining Liverpool,” while maintaining on X (formerly Twitter) that the 42-year-old is fully focused on the title race with Leverkusen.

“I can also give you this news: Bayern have already enquired about Xabi Alonso,” Plettenberg revealed.

Things can change very quickly, however. German journalist Plettenberg claimed just three days before Tuchel's announced departure that, “Confirmed again: [Tuchel] will definitely remain as the coach of FC Bayern and will not be dismissed… Tuchel is also not considering resigning. He wants to keep fighting!”

Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel.

Could Alonso replace Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel? (Image credit: Getty Images)

Alonso is the favourite for the Liverpool job, with Sporting boss Ruben Amorim second in the bookies' running to succeed Klopp.

The 42-year-old has a win percentage of 65.22 per cent at Leverkusen. 

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Mark White
Mark White
Content Editor

Mark White is the Digital Content Editor at FourFourTwo. During his time on the brand, Mark has written three cover features on Mikel Arteta, Martin Odegaard and the Invincibles, and has written pieces on subjects ranging from Sir Bobby Robson’s time at Barcelona to the career of Robinho. An encyclopedia of football trivia and collector of shirts, he first joined the team back in 2020 as a staff writer.