Why Liverpool are internally unsure about hiring Xabi Alonso despite Arne Slot struggles
Liverpool are reportedly unsure about hiring former Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso to replace Arne Slot.
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Alonso is a former Liverpool player and has shown plenty of promise in his relatively short managerial career so far, particularly when he won the Bundesliga with Leverkusen.
Things didn’t quite work out for the Spanish tactician at Real Madrid, where he was sacked earlier this season, though that hasn’t stopped him being linked with Liverpool after Slot’s recent struggles.
Still, the Times report that Alonso’s preference for playing three at the back could count against him, just as it did when Ruben Amorim was previously considered for the LFC job.
Is Xabi Alonso the right man for Liverpool?
Alonso had a lot of success with his wing-backs system at Leverkusen, but it is not, in fairness, a system which has had a great history of success in English football.
It would also mean a big period of adaptation for Liverpool, who have mostly played the same way for many years now and signed players to fit that system.
Still, Alonso’s record is impressive and it could be a good decision to replace Slot this summer after such a dramatic drop-off in form this season…
| Slot LFC PL record | Games | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win % |
| 2024/25 | 38 | 25 | 9 | 4 | 65.79% |
| 2025/26 | 31 | 14 | 7 | 10 | 45.16% |
It will be interesting to see if Slot can end the season strongly and keep his job, with the Dutch tactician surely buying himself some time after leading the club to the Premier League title in his first season in charge.
Alonso might be a popular choice to replace him, but it’s clear that inside Liverpool they are less sure about the move, and in a way that has to be admired as the directors clearly have a strategy in place that they want to stick to.
That might mean occasional dips, but in general it should mean Liverpool are well-primed for long-term stability and success instead of chasing quick fixes.
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