PREMIER LEAGUE
Reports say Liverpool officially ask to speak to Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso
German newspaper BILD reported that the English club have requested to officially speak to the Spanish coach.
German sports outlet BILD say that Premier League side Liverpool have requested to officially speak to Xabi Alonso, head coach of Bayer Leverkusen.
The Spanish coach has impressed since his arrival in Germany and his Bayer Leverkusen side are currently top of the Bundesliga playing free-flowing attacking football. He has been linked with moves all across Europe, including Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, as well as Liverpool, who appear to have made the first move.
“According to information from SPORT BILD”, reads the report, “Liverpool FC has submitted an initial request for the Bayer coach to his advisor Iñaki Ibáñez (59). He informed the club. But the request does not cause any unrest at Bayer. On the contrary, people in Leverkusen are not nervous at all and would even be surprised if Alonso’s good work at his former English club (210 games) had gone unnoticed.”
Liverpool told asking price by Leverkusen
Liverpool are set to lose Jürgen Klopp after 9 years at the helm, with the decision coming as a shock to the football world. The news of the German’s imminent departure at the end of the season sparked debate about who the recent Carabao Cup winners could go for to pick up the baton of a club that have returned to the peak of English football.
Sky Germany claim Alonso has an agreement written into his Leverkusen contract that would allow him to leave if he receives an offer he is interested in. However, the German club would receive between €15 million ($16.25 million) and €25 million ($27.1 million) for any deal, which would reportedly be enough for the Spaniard to move on.
Leverkusen Sporting Director Simon Rolfes spoke about Alonso’s situation at the club, saying “I’m staying calm and optimistic. The most important thing for our senior staff is that they feel comfortable and have the feeling that they are in the right place”, as well as claiming that “[Alonso] himself has often said [he will stay for another year]. This is how he works with his team and his coaching staff every day.”
Alsonso himself recently spoke about the speculation, saying “It was a surprise for me. My respect and admiration for Jürgen Klopp have grown more and more in recent years. Not only for what he has achieved with Liverpool but also for the way he has done it. Speculations are normal. But my attention is on Bayer Leverkusen. I have great motivation to do a good job here. I am very happy with the team, the club, and everything. I am very happy here.”