‘He’ll pick Liverpool’ – Expert backs Reds to replace Klopp with Alonso after ‘total agreement’

Ben Jacobs thinks Bayer Leverkusen head coach Xabi Alonso will pick Liverpool over Bayern Munich if it becomes “a straight shootout” between the two clubs.

Alonso is a wanted man with his two former clubs on the search for a new manager after Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel both announced their intention to step down from their respective positions at the end of the season.

The Spaniard has also been linked with another club he played for, Real Madrid, but the La Liga giants are expected to continue with Carlo Ancelotti in the dugout.

There have been tonnes of stories about Alonso’s future after Klopp’s announcement and Tuchel’s more recent decision to leave Bayern has added a lot of fuel to the fire.

Interest in the former Spain midfielder comes as no surprise with his Leverkusen side flying in all competitions this season.

They are currently eight points clear of Bayern in the Bundesliga and look set to end their 11-year run as champions, which is the main reason Tuchel is leaving.

Leverkusen are also in the last 16 of the Europa League and a DfB Pokal semi-final, a competition they are the strong favourites to win with Borussia Dortmund and Bayern both out.

Staying with the German club is not ruled out, but transfer expert Jacobs thinks if he does decide to leave to pursue a new challenge, he will leave the country, making Liverpool the strong favourites to land him.

“My gut instinct is that if he chooses to leave and it’s a straight shootout between Liverpool and Bayern he will pick Liverpool,” Jacobs said on The Debrief podcast.

“That is my gut instinct after speaking to sources.

“If he’s going to move, he will move countries, and if Liverpool want Alonso, they will get Alonso.”

There are a lot of journalists out there we would ignore if their update on Alonso was based on “gut instinct”, but Jacobs is one man we trust.

This update is also good news for Liverpool fans amidst reports Alonso has reached a ‘total agreement’ with Leverkusen to leave at the end of the season.

Alonso is currently the bookies’ favourite to replace Klopp at Anfield, with former Chelsea head coach Tuchel also in the running.

Tuchel is reportedly open to returning to the Premier League and has also been linked with Barcelona.

The Manchester United job is another interesting one, with pressure seemingly always on Erik ten Hag.

It was reported last week that the Red Devils are ‘high on Tuchel’s wish list’ and there have been ‘contacts’ between the two parties in the past.

United reached the last eight of the FA Cup on Wednesday night with a late win over Nottingham Forest. They face arch-rivals Liverpool in the quarters.

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