Liverpool given warning over Xabi Alonso pursuit as Bayer Leverkusen sporting director makes confident prediction

Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes has confidently predicted that star head coach Xabi Alonso will remain at the club next season.

The 42-year-old is arguably the most sought after manager in Europe, with Leverkusen five points clear at the top of the Bundesliga after their 3-0 win over Bayern Munich.

The victory sees Leverkusen edge closer to claiming a first German top-flight title, and gives Alonso a record of 27 wins, zero defeats and 93 goals from 31 games this season.

Reports claim that the Spaniard has a release clause in his contract for three of his former clubs, Real Madrid, Liverpool and Bayern Munich.

Early links with a return to the Bernabeu evaporated when Carlo Ancelotti signed a new contract until 2026 in December, and it looked like Leverkusen could breathe easy.

However, Jurgen Klopp’s decision to quit Liverpool at the end of the season has seen the Reds icon instantly jump to the top of betting odds.

Rolfes isn’t buying the latest media hype, though, and gave a strong response when asked if he thinks Alonso will be with the club next season.

“Yes. I’m sure,” he replied on Sport1. 

“Because one thing is the contract and what kind of contract he has but another thing is how comfortable he feels here, how his family feels. 

“Also that he knows what he has in the team, he knows he’s got a really good team and that he is going to have a really good chance [to win trophies] next season as well. 

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“There won’t be big changes or players leaving next year so we’ll surely have a top team available to us. 

“I think these are all things beside the contract that keep coaches like Xabi and also players with us.”

Rolfes has been widely applauded for his hire of Alonso in October 2022, with the 2005 Champions League winner arriving from Real Sociedad for his first senior head coaching role.

Alonso guided the club from the relegation zone into the Europa League – a competition where he has also excelled this season.

Discussing the coach further, Rolfes said: “He surprises me every now and then.

“What we and he always say internally: Everyone has their role and we have a good squad. Everyone has the quality to play their part. 

“Xabi has the courage to not only commit to an eleven, but also to say: I’ll adapt the system and bring other guys onto the pitch.

“We are not trapped in the system that is based on how we play football.”