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Liverpool's search for Jurgen Klopp's successor rumbles on - with the shock twist that early favourite Xabi Alonso will stay at Bayer Leverkusen.

Alonso was the early favourite to take over at Anfield when, in late January, Klopp announced his impending Liverpool exit at the end of this season.

Linked with Liverpool and Bayern Munich - who will part ways with Thomas Tuchel this summer - Alonso announced in a press conference on Friday that he will stay with current Bundesliga leaders Leverkusen, a day after it was revealed that Liverpool were not expected to include him on their managerial shortlist.

With Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim and Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi billed as the next-best options, Sky Sports News senior reporter Melissa Reddy analyses what Liverpool will do now...

Is Amorim the new perfect fit?

Who do Liverpool turn to now?

Will Liverpool chase De Zerbi after Alonso blow.

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There will be question marks over defensive numbers and how his temperament would stack up in a more pressured, demanding environment, but De Zerbi ticks a lot of the main boxes.

He outperforms resources, has a magnetic personality, plays the kind of football that draws applause from other managers and improves players.

Why did Alonso turn down Bayern Munich and Liverpool?

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This is more about Xabi Alonso rather than the opportunities being presented to him.

Alonso wants to stay at Leverkusen and continue his incredible project which is still in its infancy and is on course to make history

Another point to make is that Liverpool will digest this development differently from Bayern because they've been very private and respectful over the process of Klopp's successor whereas the German giants were very public and chest-out about Alonso joining them.

The narrative coming out of Munich that if he didn't stay at Leverkusen this summer, he would become Bayern manager ignores the reality that his decision is an indictment on them