Xabi Alonso’s ‘dream’ is to coach Liverpool and he will leave Bayer Leverkusen for Anfield in the summer, according to Bastian Schweinsteiger.
The 42-year-old Spaniard is the big favorite to succeed Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool after the ‘tired’ German announced he will step down at the end of the season.
It comes as Alonso’s Leverkusen top the Bundesliga table ahead of Bayern Munich and stay the course in the DFB-Pokal and UEFA Europa League.
Reports this week suggested Liverpool first contacted Alonso about the upcoming vacancy in November, but the manager has publicly insisted he is fully focused on Leverkusen, who are unbeaten in 30 games.
But former Manchester United midfielder Schweinsteiger shared some inside knowledge about the situation while working as a TV pundit.
Xabi Alonso’s ‘dream’ is to coach Liverpool, according to Bastian Schweinsteiger, who believes he will replace Jurgen Klopp (right) this summer
The former Manchester United midfielder made the comments as a television commentator this week.
“I know him and I am sure that his dream is to coach Liverpool. I am sure that he will leave Leverkusen in the summer,” he said.
Alonso’s team put that unbeaten record on the line when they host Bayern in the Bundesliga on Saturday night.
If they win, they will move five points ahead of the defending champions and will be big favorites to lift the Meisterschale.
If they lose, Bayern will overtake them and be in pole position to win their twelfth consecutive title.
Alonso played for Liverpool between 2004 and 2009 before leaving to join Real Madrid.
Alonso, 42, is one of the best properties in European football with Leverkusen undefeated in 30
If Leverkusen avoids defeat, they will close in on Bayern’s 32-game unbeaten streak since 2020, a record for a German club.
Liverpool, who host Burnley on Saturday afternoon, go into the weekend two points clear of Manchester City in the race for the Premier League title, although they have played one more game.
Klopp hopes to come out on top and they stay alive in four competitions.
The Reds will play Chelsea at Wembley in the Carabao Cup final on February 25, three days before playing Southampton in the fifth round of the FA Cup.
They will resume their Europa League campaign in the round of 16 in March.
Other candidates for the Liverpool job include Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi, Sporting’s Ruben Amorim and Germany’s Julian Nagelsmann.
Leverkusen take on Harry Kane and Bayern Munich this weekend in a matchup that will go a long way toward deciding who wins the Bundesliga title.
Leverkusen currently have a two-point lead over the reigning champions at the summit
