Liverpool make first approach for Klopp’s successor as ‘contact’ is made for number one target

Liverpool have made their first approach to Xabi Alonso in an effort to convince him to succeed Jurgen Klopp at Anfield, according to reports.

Klopp announced in late January that he will be leaving the Reds at the end of the season and hinted that he was too tired to continue his work at Andield.

The German has won six major honours during his time at Liverpool and will go down as one of their greatest managers of all time after a successful nine years in the job.

And now the focus of the Liverpool hierarchy has turned to possible successors with Bayer Leverkusen boss Alonso – who was revered as a player at Anfield – is the bookmakers’ early favourite to replace Klopp.

There has also been speculation that he is the Reds’ number one choice to replace the Liverpool boss in the summer and that has been mooted again in a latest report.

Foot Mercato claim that Liverpool have ‘contacted’ Alonso about taking over from Klopp at the end of the season but did not get the definitive answer they wanted.

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It is understood they made their first approach as far back as November ‘before the revelation to the general public’ as the Liverpool hierarchy already knew of Klopp’s decision to leave Anfield.

Alonso, who has guided Leverkusen to the summit of the Bundesliga this season, is ‘top of the list’ at Liverpool but the Spaniard ‘assures that he is happy at Leverkusen’.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano insists there will be a lot more than just the manager who changes in the summer with a “total rebuild” mentioned.

Speaking last week, Romano told GiveMeSport: “They need a total rebuild. They need someone new added to the board, a new manager and new staff, so many things are going to change at Liverpool.

“From what I’m hearing, for sure, Xabi Alonso is a candidate they are considering. At the moment, there are no concrete conversations, so it is too early to say if Xabi Alonso will be the next Liverpool manager. But, for sure, he is a candidate.”

Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi is another name on the list to replace Klopp but Romano confirmed that Alonso is “higher” than the Italian in their priorities.

Romano said in his Caught Offside column on Sunday: “Liverpool will also have a new director and then a new manager, with Xabi Alonso considered higher on the list than Roberto De Zerbi, but the situation is quite open. All these movements will lead to a crazy summer window.”