Ideal Liverpool Jürgen Klopp successor Darwin Núñez would love could be set for Real Madrid move
Real Madrid is earmarking Xabi Alonso to replace Carlo Ancelotti next year, with the former Liverpool midfielder thriving in charge of German side Bayer Leverkusen.
Jürgen Klopp has achieved everything he set out to achieve at Liverpool, which captures why virtually every single supporter on Merseyside dreads the thought of his eventual departure. The German coach has delivered every trophy on offer — with the exception of the Europa League — having secured Premier League and Champions League titles at the peak of his managerial career.
Now aged 56, Klopp still seems hungry for more silverware to the delight of those who support Liverpool. He has a contract at Anfield until 2026 and despite recent rumours linking him with the role of managing his national team, he has made it clear that he intends to remain loyal to the Reds.
Klopp could even extend his stay on Merseyside in 2026, as it remains to be seen what will happen between now and then. Despite his happiness on English shores, though, Liverpool must continue to keep tabs on the managerial landscape, purely as a means of guarding against any random issues in the future.
When Klopp does eventually depart, his successor will have quite a job on their hands considering the status of the man who will have just left, coupled with what supporters might expect from his replacement. It will be an almost impossible job for the heir to his throne, but some are already appearing more capable than others.
It feels too early for the Reds to be tracking upcoming managers on the continent, as Klopp is pretty much guaranteed to remain at the helm for another three seasons. Nevertheless, one man in particular is starting to make the headlines, and his name is interesting because he once represented the famous red shirt at Anfield.
Xabi Alonso was a midfield maestro under Rafael Benítez during his days as a player in England. The Spaniard was an expert passer of the ball, and his intelligence allowed him to remain one step ahead of those around him, operating as a true dictator in the middle of the park.
Indeed, throughout his playing career, he worked under several managerial greats including Benítez, Pep Guardiola, José Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti to name but a few, gaining quite an education in the process.
Alonso has been in charge of Bayer Leverkusen since last year, but he has already made waves in Germany. When he took charge of the Bundesliga outfit in October last term, they were ranked 17th from a possible 18 sides in the table, but ended up finishing sixth and qualifying for the Europa League.
Speaking to The Athletic recently, ex-Chelsea starlet Callum Hudson-Odoi — who spent last season on loan in Leverkusen — said: “He’s really on to you, in your face, to make sure you understand what he wants you to do. He’s definitely more hands-on than the other coaches I’ve had. He’s still kicking balls and has that mentality of wanting to win games.”
Alonso’s tactical approach is quite experimental and modern. He is interested in playing the game on his own terms, with his players proving to be proactive with and without the ball. From five matches so far this season, Bayer Leverkusen is unbeaten and ranks joint-top of the Bundesliga alongside champions Bayern Munich.
His team averages the third-most possession in the division, with his system maximizing the contributions of Victor Boniface in particular. As Bayer Leverkusen’s striker, the Nigerian is benefiting from what Alonso has created around him, as he is averaging a whopping 7.6 shots per 90 minutes so far this term, which is the most across Europe’s big five leagues.
For context, Harry Kane, who is now up front for Bayern Munich, is averaging around 4.1 per 90 in Bavaria, and it is interesting that Liverpool’s Darwin Núñez ranks second across Europe on 5.7 efforts on goal per 90. The South American striker is obviously enjoying life under Klopp right now, but he would likely shine under Alonso too.
The former Red could be a managerial gem in the making based on his fortunes in Germany over the past year, and he could seemingly fit in perfectly at Anfield, but rather than Alonso being regarded as a possible Klopp successor, Real Madrid seems to have already noticed his rapid rise. According to a report in Radio Marca this week, he has been chosen to replace Ancelotti at the Santiago Bernabéu in 2024.
Alonso has experience as a player at Anfield, but he also played for the Spanish giants for many years, winning the Champions League with the La Liga outfit in 2014. Liverpool has nothing to worry about given Klopp’s commitment to the cause on Merseyside, but in terms of sourcing an eventual successor, Real Madrid looks destined to make that task even harder.
