Xabi Alonso reacts to Liverpool & Bayern Munich job links

Xabi Alonso has refused to discuss ongoing speculation linking him with upcoming summer vacancies at former clubs Liverpool and Bayern Munich.

The 42-year-old has become one of Europe’s top-rated emerging coaches since taking over at Leverkusen towards the end of 2022. It is only natural for the likes of Liverpool and Bayern to take an interest in his services when both will soon be in need of a new manager.

«Maybe you have questions about my future. I have nothing new to say about that. I wanted to say that in advance. Right now, I'm the coach here, that's for sure. For the future I have nothing new to say, we'll see,» Alonso said as he addressed media in Germany for the first time since Bayern announced Thomas Tuchel will be leaving the club at the season's conclusion.

While Liverpool's priority is the appointment of a new sporting director following the departure of short-term hire Jorg Schmadtke at the end of January, Alonso features on a shortlist already drawn up by the Anfield hierarchy alongside the likes of Roberto De Zerbi and Ange Postecoglou.

According to reports, Bayern had their eye on Alonso, who represented the club at the very end of his playing career, even before deciding to pull the plug on Tuchel’s short reign in Bavaria.

Alonso would obviously be a popular choice with Liverpool fans. He won an unexpected Champions League title in his first season as a player there and was part of the side that ran Manchester United all the way in the 2008/09 Premier League title race. His son was even born in Liverpool.

But Alonso has obvious ties to Germany too. Notwithstanding his past with Bayern, moving to Munich from Leverkusen would arguably be less of an upheaval than heading back to England.

The immediate focus,