Xabi Alonso has confirmed he will remain as Bayer Leverkusen head coach beyond the end of this season.

In his press conference on Friday, Alonso explained that Leverkusen was the “right place for me”.

The Athletic reported on Thursday that Liverpool have long been aware that the Spaniard was unlikely to leave the Bundesliga club and are pursuing other managerial targets as they continue their search for Jurgen Klopp’s successor.

Alonso was also seen as Bayern Munich’s top choice to replace outgoing head coach Thomas Tuchel, but has now publicly committed his future to Leverkusen.

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“At the moment this is the right place for me to develop as a coach, I am a young coach,” Alonso said.

Right now this is the right place.

The club has been supportive and I feel respected by all departments.

“The fans have shown great support and they have reasons to believe and dream we will have a great season.

I have a great staff to help me work day to day, and of course the players.”

Alonso is on the brink of leading Leverkusen to their first ever Bundesliga title in his first full debut season in first-team management, with the side 10 points ahead of Bayern with eight matches remaining.

The 42-year-old joined a struggling Leverkusen side in October 2022 and guided them a sixth-placed finish and Europa League qualification

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Alonso had emerged as the favourite for the Liverpool job after Klopp announced he will leave at the end of the season after nine years at the Merseyside club.

The former Real Madrid midfielder won the 2005 Champions League and the FA Cup the following campaign during a five-year spell on Merseyside.

He began his coaching career in 2018 with Real Madrid’s under-14s before taking charge of Real Sociedad’s B team in 2019.

Additional reporting: Seb Stafford-Bloor

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