Liverpool could poach their 'dream' replacement for Jurgen Klopp following the news that Carlo Ancelotti has extended his contract at Real Madrid.
Earlier on Friday, the Spanish giants confirmed that Ancelotti had signed a new deal, keeping him at the Bernabeu until 2026.
The Italian's time looked to be up after Manchester City beat Madrid 5-1 on aggregate in the Champions League semi-final last season.
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But a recent upturn in performances spearheaded by summer signing Jude Bellingham has seen Florentino Perez and the board get back behind the manager.
As part of a domino effect, Liverpool may now have a clear run at Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso, who was previously rumoured with the Real Madrid job, having made over 150 appearances for the club.
It remains unclear whether Liverpool have any plans to get rid of current manager Klopp, with the German coach under contract at Anfield until 2026.
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However, Klopp may choose to call time on his Liverpool career should he lift the Premier League title this season, leaving the club on a high.
And that would leave the door open to Alonso, who is widely seen as the perfect replacement by supporters, having spent five seasons in Merseyside as a player.
The Spaniard is currently in charge of Bayer Leverkusen where he has been a roaring success.
The club currently sit top of the Bundesliga, carving out a four-point lead over bitter rivals Bayern Munich with a game in hand.
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With Real Madrid ruling themselves out of contention, Alonso is expected to be flooded with offers from Europe's elite - but Liverpool may become favourites should Klopp decide to leave.
In a previous interview, Alonso even admitted that he has dreamt of managing Liverpool.
He told talkSPORT: “Yes for sure, I have dreamt of that, but first I have to prove myself and prepare.
“If I decide somewhere along the way to take my chances as a manager, my link, my commitment, my passion with Liverpool is there.”
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The 42-year-old continued: “Why not? We will see if we can cross paths in our ways.”
Topics: Liverpool, Xabi Alonso, Carlo Ancelotti, Jurgen Klopp, Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Football, Premier League
Joe Adams