The reigning Premier League champions Liverpool are currently out of action in Europe down in 6th place in the table. – It does not bode well for the job security of manager Arne Slot.
Newly sacked Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso is a leading candidate for the Liverpool job.
Xabi Alonso will be the centre of attention in the race to replace Arne Slot if Liverpool sack their manager, and there could be some high-profile transfer consequences if he gets the job.
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TEAMtalk’s Fraser Fletcher wrote on Monday morning that Liverpool have already made contact with Alonso. Their former midfielder is out of work after parting ways with Real Madrid earlier this month, but he retains a strong reputation as a coach due to his previous very impressive work with Bayer Leverkusen.
The pressure on Arne Slot is mounting after Liverpool’s defeat to Bournemouth on Saturday served as the latest setback in their shaky title defence.
The odds are quickly dropping on Slot being the next manager to be sacked in the Premier League, with Alonso being a prime candidate to replace him after previously being in the picture to succeed Jurgen Klopp himself. However, it could well be the case that Alonso only starts work after the season, implementing his tactics over an entire pre-season while Liverpool work on transfers behind the scenes.
It may not be as extravagant a summer in the transfer market as it was in 2025 after their Premier League title, but Liverpool have some areas they need to improve – and especially if they are to have a new manager to build for.
With that in mind, we’ve looked at the first three positions Alonso is likely to want to strengthen, and which players can do the job.
Right centre-back (Joel Ordonez)
During his previous stint with Bayer Leverkusen, Alonso preferred a formation with three full-backs. That wasn’t always the case at Real Madrid, but even if he set them up with four full-backs, a midfielder would often fall back to form a three as they built up possession.
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Numerically, Liverpool already need to strengthen their centre-back line. Virgil van Dijk is in his mid-thirties, Ibrahima Konaté’s contract expires at the end of the season, Giovanni Leoni has a long-term injury, and Joe Gomez has suffered more than his fair share of setbacks.
If Alonso was to implement a full-back, Liverpool would have to put even more emphasis on strengthening the centre-back position in the summer.
First and foremost, a right-footed option would be needed to take Konaté’s place – and that will be true whether Liverpool play with three or four full-backs.
In addition, it is important for Alonso’s defenders to be technically proficient on the ball.
One player who ticks both boxes is Club Brugge’s Joel Ordonez, whose passing accuracy in the Belgian Pro League this season is 91,5%.
TEAMtalk’s Graeme Bailey confirmed in December that Liverpool had checked with Ordonez’s camp, although subsequent claims in South America that he is already close to joining have been debunked.
The 21-year-old Ecuadorian remains a player of interest, however, and will apparently fit well into Alonso’s tactics.
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Left centre-back (Micky van de Ven)
A left-footed centre-back, meanwhile, remains an obvious hole in Liverpool’s first-team squad. It’s usually not a huge issue given how comfortable Van Dijk is on the left side of a centre-back duo, but in a three – and at his age – he may be better suited to play in the middle.
For balance, it will lead to Liverpool needing a natural left-footed defender.
They have been linked with Borussia Dortmund’s Nico Schlotterbeck, a player Alonso will have become familiar with during his own time in the Bundesliga, as well as an ambitious move for Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni, but rumours persist that a dream target for Liverpool would be Premier League-experienced Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven.
Although sources have warned that Tottenham value Van de Ven highly, he possesses the speed and ability to revamp Liverpool’s defence.
Being Dutch, he can also build a good connection with Van Dijk, who can use his wisdom to equip his compatriot with the skills to succeed at Anfield.
Defensive midfielder (Aurelien Tchouameni)
Liverpool may want to find an upgrade over Cody Gakpo on the left wing if their future is still in a 4-2-3-1 form, but if Alonso were to return to a 3-4-2-1, it would not be as much of a priority.
Florian Wirtz has already thrived under Alonso as a central attacking midfielder, while Dominik Szoboszlai has been one of Liverpool’s best players this season and could play in that kind of role, as could Mohamed Salah.
Instead, Liverpool could look to strengthen in Alonso’s own former role as a defensive midfielder, which was somewhere they wanted to sign Martin Zubimendi in 2024.
Coincidentally, Zubimendi used to play for Alonso at Real Sociedad. He has since moved to Arsenal, but many at Real Madrid regret not being able to reunite him with their old boss.
With Zubimendi off the menu, another midfielder Liverpool could revive historical interest in, Madrid’s Aurelien Tchouameni.
It must be emphasized that recent claims that Liverpool are ready to bid heavily for Tchouameni do not come from strong sources, but there was a mutual respect between the Frenchman and Alonso during their time together in the Spanish capital, which could help some faint hopes Liverpool have of getting their man.
Tchouameni has the qualities to fall back in defence and help his team build up possession, so there’s no reason why he was considered by Alonso.
The question is how far Liverpool’s budget will stretch in the summer and how many big signings are realistic – whether Alonso will be their next head coach or not.
