Bayern Munich’s hunt for their new manager has seen them open discussions with German rivals Bayer Leverkusen as they target Xabi Alonso. In his second season with the German side, Leverkusen are set to end Bayern’s 11-year dominance at the top of the Bundesliga as they have a 10-point lead with 10 matches to go. Alonso, so far has been flawless and has seen his side unbeaten throughout the campaign which has also seen him attract interest from Liverpool and Manchester United.
Alonso to Bayern?
“They have the information that, if he changes, he will go to Bayern and not Liverpool. Alonso says that Liverpool and the [Jurgen] Klopp legacy are a difficult number. You could lose more than win,” read a report from Sky Sports in Germany.
The Spaniard is a top managerial target for big clubs which include mainly Bayern Munich and Liverpool who will seek for new manager after the conclusion of the current season. Current Bayern manager Thomas Tuchel will be leaving at the end of the season as the club struggles on all fronts. Bayern as mentioned are 10 points behind Leverkusen in the Bundesliga title race while they are 1-0 down in the Champions League R16, with the latter being the only competition where they have a realistic chance of winning silverware.
Liverpool on the other hand are also in the race to sign Alonso and like Bayern have a close association with the manager. Alonso won the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005 and played until 2009 in the Premier League. With Jurgen Klopp announcing his desire to leave the club at the end of the season, the Reds are also monitoring the situation of Alonso to get his services for next season.
ALSO READ | Women’s Euro 2025 Qualifiers: Holders England face France and Sweden in tough group
Who else could sign Alonso?
Manchester United are another club closely monitoring the situation of Alonso as they too are not enjoying the best campaign. Current manager Erik ten Hag’s future is in doubt as the club is unlikely to play in the Champions League next season. They currently are sixth in the Premier League standings and another defeat coupled with a good run for Aston Villa and Tottenham should see their quest for Champions League come to an end. In this case, United will also look for a fresh face in the dugout.
Other clubs in the running include Barcelona and Chelsea, but neither are favourites to land the prize asset. Alonso’s association with Real Madrid makes him an unpopular choice at Camp Nou while Chelsea’s struggle could tempt the Leverkusen man not to sign the deal.
You can now write for Baazigarnews.com and be a part of the Baazigar family. Share your stories and opinions with us here.
