Xabi Alonso, it seems, is a rather popular choice to replace Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool boss for the 2024/25 season.
BBC Sport’s Phil McNulty is the latest in a long line of pundits to have offered up their two cents on the greatest question of our time.
“The name that jumps out, to me and everyone else it seems, is Xabi Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen. He ticks so many boxes. Alonso was a Champions League winner at Liverpool, revered as a world-class player at Anfield and is now building a huge reputation by taking Bayer Leverkusen to the top of the Bundesliga,” the BBC’s chief football writer wrote.
“Alonso also, and this is significant, knows what makes Liverpool supporters tick, knows the city and knows what drives this emotional club. He would be warmly received as a successor to Jurgen Klopp even though his managerial career is in its infancy really.
“We’ve seen this connection with support matters with personalities like Klopp, and also those who didn’t make it like Roy Hodgson and Brendan Rodgers, even though he almost won the Premier League at Liverpool.
“Who else? Well certainly Brighton’s Roberto de Zerbi, who is proving to be an outstanding manager playing superb football. Not quite sure someone like Julian Nagelsmann is right but the process will be well under way.
“So, for now, I would say Alonso but it will be a fascinating few months.”
The Spanish head coach is impressing greatly with his Bayer Leverkusen team, which currently finds itself (in the rather unique position for any outfit not named Bayern Munich) at the top of the Bundesliga table.
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Alonso tipped for greatness
Much can be made of the internal turmoil in Munich, with Thomas Tuchel attracting disagreements with the Bayern’s hierarchy.
However, the simple fact of the matter is this is still a truly impressive feat.
Bear in mind that this Leverkusen side were second from bottom in the German top-flight eight games into the season when Alonso took over the reins.
He’s since transformed them into one of the more formidable sides in Europe, whilst playing an attractive, possession-based style of football.
Could it all go wrong with a move to Merseyside? Of course.
But the risk is there for absolutely any manager we look to bring in beyond Pep Guardiola perhaps.