Xabi Alonso is unlikely to become Liverpool’s next manager with the Reds not expecting the Spaniard to be available this summer.

The ECHO understands that the Reds are of the belief that Alonso is planning on staying at Leverkusen for at least another season, leaving the club to move onto other candidates.

Alonso emerged as the runaway favourite to succeed Jurgen Klopp in the summer after the German made public his shock decision to leave Anfield at the end of the season after almost nine years in charge.

The Spaniard, who spent five years at Liverpool as a player between 2004 and 2009, has led Bayer Leverkusen to a remarkable campaign in only his second season at the helm in the Bundesliga.

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Leverkusen are unbeaten and are clear at the top of the league, into the domestic cup semi-final and remain on course to face Liverpool in the Europa League final.

However, the Reds understand Alonso is leaning heavily towards staying at Leverkusen and have already been casting their sights elsewhere.

Among those under consideration are Sporting Lisbon boss Ruben Amorim and Roberto De Zerbi of Brighton, who Liverpool face in the Premier League at Anfield on Sunday.

Bayern Munich, another of Alonso’s former clubs, have also been linked with an interest in appointing him manager with Thomas Tuchel leaving at the end of the season.

But Bayern president Uli Hoeness has since admitted that it could be "impossible" to make the move happen this summer.

He said: "We’ll have to see if we can do it this year.

It will be difficult, if not probably impossible.

“[Alonso] is more inclined to stay at Bayer Leverkusen in view of their current successes, because he would not want to leave them behind.

“Let’s say if he had two or three more years of success, it would probably be easier to bring him out of there.”

Michael Edwards, the newly-appointed chief executive of football at Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group, and new Reds sporting director Richard Hughes are leading the hunt for Klopp’s replacement.

Klopp announced the shock news that he was to leave the club after nine years in charge back in January, along with coaches Pep Lijnders, Peter Krawietz and Vitor Matos.

Meanwhile, Alonso's Leverkusen remain 10 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga with just eight matches left to play.

They are unbeaten in all competitions this season and have been drawn against West Ham United in the quarter-finals of the Europa League, opening up the possibility for them to meet Liverpool in the Dublin final in May.


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