5 rising stars that would be perfect signings for Xabi Alonso at Liverpool: Zubimendi, Wirtz…

The summer of 2024 will be huge for Liverpool. The club are set to name a new sporting director, while Reds legend Xabi Alonso has been strongly-tipped to succeed Jurgen Klopp in the dugout.

While Klopp will leave a young and hungry squad to his potential successor, there are notable differences in the style of play favoured by the two coaches – and the new boss would surely look to bring in some new faces that fit his ethos of dynamic possession play.

We’ve identified five potential signings that would be a good fit for Alonso at Liverpool.

Liverpool did remarkably well last summer to totally rebuild their midfield following the departures of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson.

Wataru Endo has been a solid addition to Klopp’s squad and Alexis Mac Allister has shown signs of growing into the role, but the recent 3-1 defeat to Arsenal strengthened the argument that Liverpool are still in need of a world-class, specialised No.6 – just as they were before Fabinho’s transformative impact in 2018.

Real Sociedad’s Zubimendi can be that player. He’s been talked up as Europe’s next great defensive midfielder, and his ability to control games and dictate the tempo would make him a natural fit for the style favoured by Alonso.

Better yet, Arsenal have reportedly identified the 25-year-old as their top midfield target, but Zubimendi’s Basque kinship with Alonso could give Liverpool the edge over their title rivals when it comes to his signature.

“With him, I learned to recognise and differentiate [types of] presses, overcoming them,” Zubimendi told The Guardian of Alonso’s influence in Real Sociedad’s youth set-up.

“Before then, I played the way that more or less came naturally. With him I started to truly understand concepts for bringing the