Ever since Jurgen Klopp announced that he would be stepping down from the role of Liverpool manager at the end of the season, speculation has been rife about who will succeed him.
While there is no clear favourite to succeed Klopp at the moment, here are three reasons why Xabi Alonso could be the perfect replacement for the German at Anfield:
3. Alonso is one of Liverpool’s own
After moving to the Premier League from Real Sociedad, Alonso quickly established himself as one of the best midfielders in the league. He made the deep-lying midfield position his own and soon established himself as the conductor in Liverpool’s midfield.
Given Alonso’s previous alliance with the Reds, he knows the club and understands its culture well. Much like Klopp, Alonso is aware of how passionate the Liverpool fans are about their club and shares that passion with them. If the Spaniard decides to come back and take charge of proceedings in the Anfield dugout, it could prove to be a happy homecoming.
2. Exciting style of play
Over the last nine years, Klopp has spoilt Liverpool fans by treating them to some of the most exciting football in the world. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that whoever succeeds Klopp will have to take over the mantle of making the team play exciting football.
And Xabi Alonso fits this bill perfectly. Ever since Alonso took charge of Bayer Leverkusen, his team has been playing some of the most exciting football in the Bundesliga. In the process, the 42-year-old manager has created a distinct brand of football and it would be exciting to see if he can recreate that at Anfield.
1. Liverpool have the kind of players to recreate ‘Xabi-ball’
One of the best things about the timing of Klopp’s departure is that he is leaving the Liverpool squad in the best possible shape for his successor to take over. The vast majority of players in the squad are young and going to hit their peak in the coming years.
This is the perfect time for a new manager to come in and embed these players into a new footballing philosophy. And in Liverpool’s case, they have the kind of players that Alonso will require to recreate his style of play. Additionally, Alonso also has the option of bringing a few players along with him from Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool to recreate his style of play.
To sum it up, the stage is set for Xabi Alonso to make a fairytale return to Anfield. But only time will tell if this fairytale becomes a reality or not.
Image Courtesy – Goal.com
