Jurgen Klopp may have picked his successor at Liverpool after labelling one contender 'incredible'.
Klopp announced last month that he will step down as manager of the Reds after almost eight years in charge because he is "running out of energy".
His decision came as a shock and has left Liverpool with a huge decision when choosing his successor.
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The 56-year-old has revolutionised the club since arriving back in 2015 and will leave them in the best possible position with a quadruple still up for grabs.
Several candidates have been rumoured to be in the running for the job, but one in particular is preferred amongst fans and now Klopp himself.
Former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso has caught the eye of several top clubs across Europe following his success with Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen.
They currently sit top of the league holding a five-point gap over second-placed Bayern Munich and remain unbeaten after 21 games.
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He would be the ideal successor and Klopp seems to agree. As reported in The Mail, the German described Alonso as a "stand-out" manager representing the next generation.
"Xabi is doing an incredible job," acknowledged Klopp.
"The 'dinosaurs' like Ancelotti, Mourinho, Guardiola and myself will not do it for 20 more years but the next generation is already there. I would say Xabi is stand-out in that department.
"He was a world-class player, like a coach already, and the team he has set up is exceptional. Not only the points tally but the way they play."
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It's a familiar path given Klopp's success in Germany with Borussia Dortmund allowed him to get the job on Merseyside in the first place.
He's clearly an admirer of the way Leverkusen play under Alonso, so it would be a shock if Liverpool didn't listen to their legendary leader and make the Spaniard their number-one choice.
You would think he has earned the right to at least have a say in who succeeds him at Anfield and there seems to be a clear favourite.
Topics: Anfield, Bayer Leverkusen, Bundesliga, Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool, Premier League, Xabi Alonso, Football
Will Evans