Liverpool contacted a potential replacement for manager Jurgen Klopp 'months ago', according to a new report.
Klopp made the bombshell announcement last month that he would be leaving Liverpool at the end of the 2023/24 season, bringing a hugely successful eight-and-a-half year stint in charge of the club to a close.
Klopp has won all three major English domestic trophies during his time at the club, as well as a UEFA Super Cup, Club World Cup and Champions League.
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He could add up to four more trophies to that haul by the time his reign ends, with Liverpool still competing on all three fronts domestically and into the knockout stages of the Europa League.
The German stated that part of the reason why his departure was announced so early was so that the Reds had enough time to source a replacement.
Bayer Leverkusen's Xabi Alonso and Brighton's Roberto De Zerbi are among the favourites to take over, while Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel and unemployed duo Julian Nagelsmann and Zinedine Zidane may be other contenders.
And according to French outlet Foot Mercato, the Reds made contact with Alonso 'months ago' to enquire about whether he would consider leaving his role at Bundesliga table-toppers Leverkusen.
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Shortly after the announcement of Klopp's departure, Alonso was asked about reports linking him with the Liverpool role in a press conference.
The Spaniard, who played for Liverpool between 2004 and 2009 and scored in the iconic 2005 Champions League final that was won by the Reds, said he is 'very happy' at Leverkusen.
He added: "I am not in that moment to think about the next step. I'm in a great place, I'm enjoying it and I think it's the right place.
"That's all I can say. What's going to happen in the future I don't know, and I don't really care at the moment."
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Leverkusen are currently top of the Bundesliga after 20 games, and are yet to taste defeat in the German top flight this season.
Alonso arrived at the club in October 2022 and, after a period of adaptation to the new manager's methods, the team reached the semi-finals of the Europa League, losing to Jose Mourinho's Roma on aggregate.
The Spaniard previously spent three seasons in charge of Real Sociedad's B team, in what was his first managerial role after retiring as a player.
Topics: Liverpool, Xabi Alonso, Premier League, Bayer Leverkusen, Roberto De Zerbi, Zinedine Zidane, Jurgen Klopp
Ryan Smart