Your move, Liverpool! Bayern boss confirms Alonso talks

Tom Weber

• Updated: 20 Mar 2024 21:21 GMT
• 3 min read

Honorary Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeneß has confirmed that the Bavarians are in talks with Xabi Alonso.

The Bayer Leverkusen head coach is the most sought-after managerial commodity in Europe. With his team firmly on course to win their first-ever Bundesliga and also still in the DFB-Pokal and Europa League, Alonso is the name on everyone's lips.

The Basque has managed to go from successful player to successful coach in a relatively short period of time - Leverkusen is his first senior role - but it seems that Europe's elite sides have no concerns about a potential lack of experience. Liverpool and Bayern Munich both view their former player as the top target to replace their outgoing coaches, Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel.

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Speculation about Alonso's future has been rampant since January, when Klopp announced his departure, but now, for the first time, a person at one of the clubs in question has confirmed that they are keen on Alonso and that initial talks have taken place.

Hoeneß confirms Alonso interest

Bayern's honorary president Uli Hoeneß, who is still heavily involved in the running of the club albeit mostly in an advisory role at this point, confirmed the Bundesliga side's interest in Alonso in the strangest of settings.

Speaking at an estate agents' trade fair in Munich on Tuesday evening, Hoeneß said of the 42-year-old: "He has proven that he can be a coach for elite sides and that makes things very difficult because clubs like Liverpool, Real Madrid, Leverkusen and also FC Bayern are working on it."

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"There are hardly any coaches who are currently available and suitable [for Bayern]. It's all coaches who are under contract somewhere and potentially successful. It's therefore not as simple as telling them that FC Bayern are the be-all and end-all."

According to Sky Germany's Florian Plettenberg, Bayern have made contact with Alonso and the Spaniard did not rebuff their approach. Liverpool, meanwhile, are reportedly mindful of the fact that an approach in the midst of a historic season would be considered disrespectful by Bayer Leverkusen, but it seems they need to get a move on or risk missing out on the tactician.