David Ornstein has issued an update on whether Liverpool are likely to move for Xabi Alonso this summer, amid reports that the 44-year-old is wanted by Chelsea.
Although Frank Leboeuf confidently declared over the weekend that he thinks the Spaniard will be in charge at Anfield next season, several trusted reporters (including James Pearce and Fabrizio Romano) have indicated that FSG are more likely to stick with Arne Slot than appoint the former Reds midfielder.
According to The Athletic, Chelsea are now exploring a potential deal to hire the 2010 World Cup winner, who’s believe to be open to the possibility of working at Stamford Bridge.
Speaking on NBC Sports on Monday evening, Ornstein reiterated his freshly-published reports on Alonso, whilst stating that the former Real Madrid boss isn’t in Liverpool’s thinking at present.
He declared: “Within the last hour, I have reported that Chelsea are exploring a deal to appoint Xabi Alonso as their next head coach.
“It was suggested by many that he would be a strong contender, and he would appear to be at the forefront. As I understand it, Xabi Alonso is open to this possibility, although nothing at this point has been decided, and the process at Chelsea is ongoing.
“Talking of Xabi Alonso, he has for some time now – years – been heavily linked with the Liverpool head coach position post-Jurgen Klopp, but it went to Arne Slot.
“Even now, with many fans clamouring for him to return to Anfield where he had such a successful playing career, but my information is that Xabi Alonso is not under consideration at Liverpool at all, and that Liverpool fully intend to go into next season with Arne Slot as their head coach.”
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This is precisely what many Reds supporters would’ve feared if FSG delayed over moving for Alonso – that another club (in this case a direct Premier League rival) would be more proactive and bring him in instead.
Of course, Chelsea’s pursuit is merely in the exploratory stages for now, so there’s no guarantee that the 44-year-old will be on the Stamford Bridge bench next season, but at the moment that seems a much likelier scenario than him returning to Anfield.
We don’t want Liverpool to go down the same road as the Blues in terms of churning through head coaches with indecent haste, but the thought of Alonso taking charge of the west Londoners while Slot is still labouring on Merseyside is sobering.
If FSG are adamant that they want to persist with the Dutchman, they desperately need that faith to be vindicated quickly. The Reds still need to ensure they’re in the Champions League for 2026/27, and a slow start to that campaign would make the 47-year-old’s job feel increasingly untenable.
Fate might offer the Anfield hierarchy a second chance on Alonso if Chelsea’s pursuit of him were to fail. If that were to happen, the powerbrokers in L4 surely can’t pass it up again.
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What a mess Liverpool football club is in. FSG wont sack a manager who the supporters know isn’t good enough. FSG are quite happy to limp into next season and let the best young manager, a former Liverpool great, go to one of our main rivals Chelsea.
You couldn’t make it up. FSG are not that popular at the moment with raising ticket prices, and what they tried to do with the super league, if they let Chelsea get Alonso they won’t be forgiven. Every game Chelsea win under Alonso will be one step closer to them being booted out of Liverpool.
If FSG really back slot then give him a new three year contract, don’t leave the inevitable to happen and end up sacking him in October. As usual it’s inept ownership from charlatan owners FSG who were carried by klopp. FSG out. Passed by Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea will be next as we get left behind.
Fsg has 0 football knowledge. If this is to be true, Hughes and Edwards play a major role in keeping arne slot. Fsg has to realize all 3 of them are in their final year of their contract. Even if they were to perform horrendously poor, they will still go end of next season but fsg, you have to pick up the wreck from your decision this summer.
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