Paul Joyce drops massive Xabi Alonso update as Arne Slot sack future takes surprise turn

Liverpool’s managerial succession picture has taken an unexpected twist. According to Paul Joyce of The Times, Xabi Alonso is not currently viewed as a credible candidate to succeed Arne Slot should the club make a change this summer, despite widespread external speculation linking the former Reds midfielder with a romantic return to Anfield.

Joyce reports that, far from preparing for life after Slot, Liverpool’s power brokers remain supportive of the Dutchman, who was appointed as Jürgen Klopp’s permanent successor ahead of the current campaign. That backing appears firm enough that the club’s recruitment and analysis teams have not intensified any managerial short-listing, a process they historically keep running in the background.

Alonso, 43, has been unattached since leaving Real Madrid in January and guided Bayer Leverkusen to a historic Bundesliga title before his brief stint in Spain. While his emotional bond with Liverpool supporters is undeniable after five influential years on Merseyside as a player, tactical reservations appear to have cooled the club’s interest. Joyce emphasises that Alonso’s preference for a back-three system is considered a strategic mismatch; the same misalignment, the report notes, contributed to Liverpool distancing themselves from Ruben Amorim before ultimately hiring Slot.

Yet the narrative that Alonso is wedded exclusively to a three-man defence is challenged within the piece. During his time at the Bernabéu, the Spaniard predominantly deployed a back four, occasionally converting to a situational three as full-backs pushed forward and a midfielder dropped between centre-halves. Proponents argue this tactical flexibility undermines the idea that he could not adapt to Liverpool’s existing structure if required.

Joyce writes: “Just as it stands to reason that Liverpool do not start scouting wingers when a wide man is needed, so their analysis department is always compiling an understanding of the work of different managers. They would, of course, have studied Xabi Alonso during his time at Bayer Leverkusen… The external expectation is that the Spaniard… would be next in line for the managerial role, but there is little to suggest that aligns with internal thinking.”

For now, the message from inside Anfield is continuity. Unless results nosedive dramatically between now and May, Slot is expected to receive the opportunity to build on his maiden season in charge. Nevertheless, the mere surfacing of detailed reasons why Alonso is not being pursued highlights how quickly the managerial landscape can shift and keeps alive the possibility of future reassessment.

Liverpool supporters craving clarity may have to wait: the club appear content with the status quo, while Alonso’s next destination remains one of European football’s most intriguing sub-plots.