Xabi Alonso could break Liverpool hearts and snub Reds again for brutal move | Football | Sport

In the least surprising development of the 2025/26 season, Xabi Alonso’s reign as Real Madrid manager came to an end. Having excelled as a breakthrough coach at Bayer Leverkusen, guiding the German side to their first-ever Bundesliga title, Alonso ditched the BayArena for the Bernabeu in the summer.

But the majority of his time in the Spanish capital proved to be a case of one step forward, two steps back, with Alonso’s stint never really getting off the ground. A thumping defeat to Paris Saint-Germain at the Club World Cup didn’t mark the best of starts to life as Real Madrid boss, with similar issues plaguing Los Blancos in La Liga.

The final act of his tenure proved to be a Spanish Supercup defeat to rivals Barcelona on Sunday, with Alonso having packed up and left by Monday evening. It was a relationship that never really looked like it would work on paper, and fast forward six months, and that’s proved to be the case.

Despite the early exit, Alonso still leaves Real Madrid with his reputation mainly intact, leading to speculation surrounding what his next move might be. Some have suggested Manchester United, but it’s hard to imagine a methodical manager like Alonso opting to take a job in what – from the outside looking in – appears to be a circus at Old Trafford.

Liverpool is the most obvious choice, given Alonso’s connection with the club from his playing days. But what if another of the Reds’ Premier League rivals threw a spanner in the works and swooped in instead?

If rumours are to be believed, Pep Guardiola could be bringing his Manchester City tenure to an end after 10 years, meaning the Blues would also be on the lookout for a new commander in chief. Regardless of what appears to be a slight turnaround in form for Slot, it would leave Liverpool with their own tough decision to make.

As one of the best young coaches in Europe, it would only be natural for Alonso to make the shortlist of potential Guardiola replacements. Plus, City have shown throughout the decade Guardiola has been at the club, the hierarchy are willing to allow a manager freedom to build their preferred environment.

Right now, the cards appear to be in Liverpool’s hands. They can decide to stick or instead twist. But should another player be invited to the table, that’s when things might start to get complicated. And Alonso might break the Reds’ hearts again having already rejected the chance to replace Jurgen Klopp.