Former Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez sends warning to Xabi Alonso about replacing Jurgen Klopp

Former Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has sent a warning to his former player Xabi Alonso over becoming Jurgen Klopp's successor at Liverpool.

Alonso has been heavily linked with the Liverpool job ever since Klopp announced he would be leaving the club, with the Spaniard gaining a massive reputation for the work he is doing at Bayer Leverkusen.

Leverkusen sensationally remain unbeaten this season and are cruising eight points clear of Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.

Bayern are another club who are chasing Alonso's signature, with it being confirmed last month that Thomas Tuchel would be leaving at the end of the season.

Despite showing all the signs of being the perfect man to come in at Anfield, Rafa Benitez has sent his former player a warning over the potential move.

Benitez managed Alonso during Liverpool's unprecedented 2005 Champions League win, so it could be that the current Celta Vigo manager's opinion holds some weight for the young manager.

"He’s a big name, good professional, good lad, clever, doing really well with Leverkusen so I understand why," Benitez said in an interview with The Times.

The former Everton manager highlighted that Alonso is still very early in his managerial career, and it is still unknown whether he will be able to sustain his success.

"He has the potential to be a very good manager and if he has good players he will be successful, but then can he do it for five years, ten years? I don’t know," Benitez explained.

Alonso and Benitez- Getty

"He can go to any top side now but they will be expecting to win the title. And if you finish second, maybe it’s a great season but people will say, 'Oh, he’s failed'

Benitez continued to stress the modern game is very unforgiving and that a high-profile move could be coming too soon for the Leverkusen boss.

"In the past, you could make a mistake somewhere, learn from it and the next year go to another team. Now social media and the press are “blah blah” — it can affect young coaches," The 63-year-old added.

Topics: Liverpool, Xabi Alonso, Jurgen Klopp, Rafa Benitez, Bundesliga, Bayer Leverkusen, Champions League

Tom Jenkins

Tom Jenkins is a Social Editor and Journalist for SPORTBible. Specialises in Football and F1 but has experience covering a variety of sports such as MMA, Boxing and Cricket. Suffers weekly as an Evertonian.

@tomjenkns