Liverpool are not looking for a manager who “favours a back three”, according to The Times reporter Paul Joyce.
Xabi Alonso is widely seen as the red-hot favourite if the Reds choose to dispense with the services of Arne Slot at the end of the season.
However, Joyce says the decision not to pursue Ruben Amorim (who favoured 3-4-3) when looking for Klopp’s successor suggests that Alonso may not come under consideration either:
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“They would, of course, have studied Xabi Alonso during his time at Bayer Leverkusen, and he knows the club, having spent five years on Merseyside as a player. The external expectation is that the Spaniard, who is out of work after his sacking by Real Madrid in January, would be next in line for the managerial role, but there is little to suggest that aligns with internal thinking.”
“Alonso favours a back three, for example, which is one of the reasons why Liverpool did not pursue Ruben Amorim when pressing ahead with Klopp’s successor.”
Joyce’s argument about Alonso does not hold true
The journalist is implying that Alonso doesn’t play with a back four. However, during his spell at Real Madrid, he played a variation of 4-3-3 in 30 of his 34 matches in charge.
You also have to factor in that Alonso WAS considered as Klopp’s replacement before he decided to remain with Leverkusen, so there is already evidence that he is within Liverpool’s “internal thinking.”
Will Liverpool replace Slot?
The board are expected to assess the Dutchman’s performance at the end of the season. You would think that Champions League qualification is the bare minimum expected of him to keep his job.
At the bookies, Alonso remains odds-on to become the next Reds head coach, with PSG’s Luis Enrique (3/1) and Julian Nagelsmann (8/1) rounding out the top three candidates.
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