Odds shorten on next Liverpool manager, he’s now favourite ahead of Jurgen Klopp
Jurgen Klopp is among those tipped to take over at Liverpool, should Arne Slot be given the boot at Anfield in the coming weeks.
Slot is facing questions at Liverpool, with the Premier League champions seriously struggling for form this season.
The Reds have lost nine of their last 12 games, in what has been a staggering collapse after a strong start to the season.
Liverpool were battered 4-1 by PSV in the Champions League on Wednesday, with Anfield voicing their disapproval at the final whistle.
Virgil van Dijk was slammed for his performance against PSV, but the defender is among the majority of Liverpool players struggling to find any form.
Xabi Alonso enters race for Liverpool job
Xabi Alonso was heavily linked with a return to Anfield when Klopp announced his departure, but the Spaniard had just marked a historic season with Bayer Leverkusen and was keen to spend one more year in Germany.
When the former midfielder did choose to leave, he was given the chance to return to another of his former clubs, Real Madrid.
| Xabi Alonso | Liverpool (2004-2009) | Real Madrid (2009-2014) |
| Appearances | 210 | 236 |
| Goals | 18 | 6 |
| Assists | 19 | 31 |
| Major honours | 3 | 4 |
Alonso’s first season was disappointing, however. Los Blancos lost out to Barcelona in La Liga, lost the Copa del Rey final, and were dumped out of the Champions League by Arsenal.
The current campaign has started more positively, however, with Real Madrid leading the way in the league.
Still, the Spanish giants have shown vulnerabilities, and there is a feeling that Florentino Perez could take drastic action in the dugout at any moment.
Given Liverpool’s own managerial problems, Alonso has emerged ahead of Oliver Glasner and Klopp as the favourite to replace Slot if he is sacked, according to one major bookmaker.
Alonso is quoted at 5/2 by BetVictor to return to Anfield after his odds narrowed in the last hours.
The Spaniard is ahead of Klopp (3/1), Glasner (6/1), and Andoni Iraola (6/1) in the race to replace Slot at Liverpool.
What Alonso said about Liverpool
Alonso’s return to Liverpool has always felt likely, with the midfielder sharing a strong bond with the Anfield faithful during his time at the club.
Speaking to the Liverpool Echo in 2017, the Spaniard expressed his feelings about his former home.
“Liverpool is still a big part of my life and always will be,” he said. “I still feel very attached to the club, even not being there, and I still follow the club.
“I stay in contact with friends I have in Liverpool. It’s not a normal club, it’s so special and very important to me.”
There is little doubt that Alonso will manage the Reds at some point during his managerial career. Whether that time will come sooner or later, will depend on timing and results in both Liverpool and Madrid.