How Xabi Alonso staying at Leverkusen has impacted Liverpool's managerial search
Liverpool are diverting their attention to other targets after leading contender Xabi Alonso confirmed he would not be succeeding Jurgen Klopp as manager.
Alonso announced last week he would be staying at Bayer Leverkusen next season despite being top of both Liverpool and Bayern Munich's wish-lists for new bosses.
The Reds' search has been ongoing for several months after Klopp revealed to the board privately in November he would stand down at the end of the season. Liverpool began compiling potential names using a data-led approach and always planned to start interviewing candidates after the appointments of Michael Edwards as FSG's CEO of Football and Richard Hughes as sporting director. The latter's gardening leave at Bournemouth is flexible due to the good relationship between the two clubs and he will therefore be allowed to play a leading role in the manager search.
revealed in February that Alonso was indeed one of Liverpool's top choices for the job, though they had a seven-man shortlist, and they are now whittling down those candidates now their new club structure is in place.
Alonso was identified as a great fit with the use of the club's data — which also looks at wider aspects such as budgets worked with and club models worked under — as well as through due diligence regarding style, personality and man management. Sporting CP's Ruben Amorim, Brighton & Hove Albion's Roberto De Zerbi and Germany's Julian Nagelsmann also scored highly among the top contenders left in the running.
Sources close to Liverpool claim the club are placing a high emphasis on 'attitude and involvement' in recruitment, looking at how well a manager wants in the collaborative process and at what approach they take in the club's pitch to
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