Fabrizio Romano has shared details of a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ which could leave the door open for Liverpool to bring one ex-Anfield favourite back to Merseyside.
Journalist Ben Jacobs recently told GIVEMESPORT that Xabi Alonso is ‘turning heads’ at his former club off the back of a remarkable 13 months at Bayer Leverkusen, taking over with them 17th in the Bundesliga and guiding them to the top of the table at present.
Jurgen Klopp’s contract runs to 2026, and only an unfathomable turn of events would see him depart before then such is his standing at LFC, but that hasn’t quelled speculation regarding the identity of his eventual successor.
In his Daily Briefing for CaughtOffside, Romano explained that the 42-year-old doesn’t have a formal release clause in his deal at Leverkusen, but rather a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ which may allow one of three former clubs in Liverpool, Bayern Munich or Real Madrid to secure his services at a reduced rate.
The Italian outlined: “Alonso is a fantastic manager, and it’s no surprise to see links with other clubs now, though I’m told there is no proper release clause in his contract.
“There is nothing official for other clubs to trigger – I’m told it’s just a gentleman’s agreement between Alonso and the Leverkusen board. Alonso was on the list of some clubs this summer, but Leverkusen insisted he was staying, but that they would let him go to a top, top club in the future.
“Alonso will be the one with the final decision, and he will make that decision in the summer, but there is no normal release clause, so it’s about convincing Alonso, rather than paying a formal release clause to Leverkusen.”
READ MORE: Outspoken pundit believes £15k-p/w Liverpool player won’t be a lasting success at Anfield
This revelation from Romano could provide Liverpool with a tremendous opportunity to exploit if they want to bring Alonso back to Anfield, although there’s a danger that Bayern or Real Madrid could get to him first.
The Bavarian club can be a volatile hotbed where managers are under enormous pressure as a matter of course, while Carlo Ancelotti has been touted to leave the Bernabeu at the end of this season, thus leaving a vacancy to be filled in the dugout.
Merseyside chiefs may be secretly hoping that, if the 42-year-old goes to one of those clubs after Leverkusen, they’ll dispense with him by the time Klopp’s current deal ends in 2026.
Right now, Alonso’s managerial stock could hardly be higher off the back of the remarkable work he’s doing in Germany, with his side already scoring an incredible tally of 62 goals in all competitions this term while conceding only 14 (Romano).
Whoever eventually takes over from Klopp will have an extremely hard act to follow at Anfield, but few would likely be as well received and given as much leeway by the fan base as the Spaniard, given his excellent form as a manager and his genius as a former Reds player.