Bayern Munich's honorary president Uli Hoeness has confirmed that the Bundesliga champions, along with Liverpool and Real Madrid, are actively pursuing a deal for Bayer Leverkusen head coach Xabi Alonso.
This news comes as Thomas Tuchel is set to leave Bayern at the end of the 2023-24 campaign, opening up one of the most prestigious managerial positions in German football.
Bayern Munich honorary president, Uli Hoeness, said:
"He's [Alonso's] proven that he can be a coach for the big time, Clubs like Liverpool, Real Madrid, Leverkusen and FC Bayern are working on it.
"There are hardly any coaches who come into question who are currently free, who don't have a job or who are on sabbatical. It's not so easy to tell them that FC Bayern is the measure of all things."
Liverpool is also on the hunt for a new manager as they prepare to bid farewell to Jurgen Klopp this summer. The Reds face a challenging task of finding an apt replacement for their inspirational leader. Alonso's impressive work at Leverkusen has reportedly made him a top managerial target for both Bayern and Liverpool this summer.
Real Madrid has also been mentioned as potential suitors, although they recently extended their current head coach Carlo Ancelotti's contract until 2026.
Clubs will have to fetch hefty compensation to get Alonso
To secure Alonso’s services, Bayern would allegedly need to shell out between €15m (£12.8m) and €25m (£21.3m). Reports from Germany suggest that former midfielder would prefer moving to Munich giants over Liverpool at this stage in his career.
Alonso began his coaching journey with Real Sociedad B players, managing La Liga club's second team from June 2019 till May 2022 before taking charge of Leverkusen in October 2022. His tenure so far boasts an impressive record; he won 50 matches out of his total 75 games while drawing 15 and losing only ten games.
Leverkusen have surpassed every expectations under Alonso
Under his guidance, Leverkusen is enjoying an excellent run during the ongoing season - remaining unbeaten across all competitions and leading Bundesliga table by ten points ahead of second-placed Bayern Munich.
In addition to their domestic success, Leverkusen is also performing well in international competitions. They are currently in the semi-finals of the German Cup and Europa League quarter-finals, with West Ham United as their next opponents.
Alonso's playing career was equally illustrious, representing Liverpool from 2004 to 2009, Real Madrid from 2009 to 2014, and Bayern Munich from 2014 to 2017 before retiring.
Despite widespread speculation about his future, Bayer Leverkusen director Fernando Carro recently expressed confidence that they would be able to retain Alonso this summer. However, with three top clubs vying for his services and a potential move back to Munich on the cards, only time will tell where Alonso will land next.
