Xabi Alonso: The Ideal Successor for Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool

The soccer community was astir with Friday's announcement of Jurgen Klopp's decision to step down as Liverpool's manager at the conclusion of this season. This recent development has dominated the discourse in the sport since it broke.

While Klopp's tenure at Anfield is nearing an end after almost nine years, the impact of his departure is so profound that it seems he has been a fixture on Merseyside for much longer.

There have been whispers through the grapevine, notably from 90min, that former Red midfielder Xabi Alonso might be a contender for Liverpool's vacancy. Alonso, currently at the helm of Bayer Leverkusen —and having a rather successful run—, is reportedly on Liverpool's radar and is also being considered by Bayern Munich.

As of now, Bayern may decide to stick with Thomas Tuchel, but Alonso appears to be the best fit for Liverpool. Here's our take on why this should be the case...

The guiding principle Liverpool decision-makers ought to use in their quest to replace Klopp is not to seek an identical clone of the outgoing manager.

Klopp is unparalleled, a genuinely special manager who will secure his rightful place among the legends of the game. He imparts charisma and fervor to his team, defining their distinct style of play — you won't come across another Klopp.

Alonso, on the other hand, lets his squads’ performance on the field do the talking. He is calm and methodical, not domineering or high maintenance. Winning games and scoring plenty of goals are the by-products of happenings on the pitch, though not in the high-octane style of Klopp's teams.

John Muller, writing for The Athletic, makes a noteworthy observation that Leverkusen plays more short passes than any other European team and prefers to strike in the half-spaces. This kind of shift might be unusual for Liverpool, but it's not a complete overhaul.

This subtle shift may be ideal for a Liverpool side that, despite quadruple winning ambitions, is still developing and reassembling for a few more years.

An Alonso-led Liverpool, mirroring the Leverkusen's 3-4-3 setup this season, could greatly facilitate playing in Alonso's style.

Jeremie Frimpong and Alex Grimaldo, the wing-backs benefiting the most from Alonso's approach, have an astounding 36 goal contributions this season.

The ongoing revamp of Liverpool has seen young promising talents come aboard who are still figuring out their roles, while seasoned pros like centre-back Virgil van Dijk and forward Mohamed Salah could enjoy increased latitude to perform.

'Bring in Steven Gerrard, he understands the club', a pundit who is good friends with Gerrard opines. #Klopp

Alright, this might feel like taking the easy way out, but bear with us.

Liverpool is a thoughtful club that tends to grow on you if you stick around long enough. Fans deeply care about seeing one of their own take the reins. Klopp quickly clicked upon his arrival from Borussia Dortmund, a club with striking similarities to Liverpool.

Having played for Liverpool before, Alonso has an edge over other potential candidates like Julian Nagelsmann or Roberto De Zerbi who lack existing ties or past association with the club. This is less about club DNA and more about experiencing the honor of being a Red.

When Sir Alex Ferguson was on his way out at Manchester United, the job almost defaulted to David Moyes. Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti, and Klopp had already made their plans.

This is not implying that Liverpool will face the same scenario, but it underscores the need to promptly secure a top target when others are also in the hunt.

Bayern is showing interest. Barcelona might join the fray following Xavi's departure. The managerial carousel could get fiercely competitive this summer. If Alonso is indeed the prime choice for Liverpool, they should waste no time and make their move assertively.