Tense wait for former Real Madrid boss

All roads lead to Liverpool. Since his departure from Real Madrid in early January, Xabi Alonso’s name has been linked time and again with several major benches across Europe. But it’s the one at Anfield that seems written in the stars for the Spaniard. Few doubt that sooner or later, Xabi and Liverpool will cross paths. And in the months that have followed his Madrid exit, the rumors have only intensified.

Slot struggles after early success

At Anfield, meanwhile, the message remains one of calm around Arne Slot. With the Champions League still in play and the race for European spots in the Premier League ongoing, the Dutch manager still has some margin and the backing of the hierarchy.

But nobody is blind to the fact that unless Slot delivers something major - like winning the Champions League - his future becomes complicated. His public clash with Mohamed Salah, even if he ultimately prevailed, and the modest returns after a massive outlay in the transfer market, have significantly worn away the excitement generated by his early success on Merseyside, where he won the Premier League title in his first season in charge.

Alonso reportedly a shoo-in for Liverpool

Alongside Alonso, UK media outlets have put forward other potential candidates for the Anfield bench, with VfB Stuttgart’s Sebastian Hoeneß, Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann and the outgoing Crystal Palace boss, Oliver Glasner, all featuring prominently on the list of contenders.

However, German outlet Bild treats Alonso’s appointment by Liverpool for the 2026-27 season as a sure thing. The Reds’ poor run of form this campaign has reportedly spooked the club’s leadership to the point that Michael Edwards, Liverpool’s director of football, has already concluded that things are unlikely to improve under Slot - and that Xabi is the spark this squad needs.

While events unfold on their own at Liverpool, Alonso certainly won’t be short on offers. Even if his time at Madrid didn’t unfold with the success many anticipated when he was unveiled at the Bernabéu, Alonso’s stock remains exceptionally high. His achievements at Bayer Leverkusen are still fresh in many minds. Ending Bayern Munich’s overwhelming dominance in Germany is a once‑in‑a‑generation feat, and helping the club break a long, painful run of league‑title disappointments is no small accomplishment either. Alonso did both.

Which is why the 44-year-old doesn’t have to lose sleep over his next destination. He will choose when and where to continue his coaching career - but the 2026-27 season awaits.

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