Jamie Carragher has compared Xabi Alonso's managerial trajectory to that of Jose Mourinho and Jurgen Klopp -
Carragher believes the Spaniard will succeed Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool.
The 42-year-old is currently the bookmakers' favourite to succeed Klopp
Alonso, who spent five years as a player at Anfield after joining in 2004 and was part of Rafa Benitez's Champions League-winning side in his debut season, has won plenty of plaudits for his work at Bayer Leverkusen since taking the managerial reins in 2022
Leverkusen defeated title rivals Bayern Munich 3-0 on Saturday to open up a five-point lead at the top
Carragher admits Alonso's "remarkable" job at the BayArena reminds him of Mourinho and Klopp's underdog success at FC Porto and Borussia Dortmund
Carragher
"We're going to look at it because I think there's a great chance he will become the next Liverpool manager, he seems the standout favourite.
"When you think of the great managers and where they start, a lot of them do something pretty remarkable at maybe a lower level
"You think of what Jose did at FC Porto, winning a Champions League there, you think of Jurgen Klopp, winning two titles with Borussia Dortmund and now I think of Xabi Alonso and if actually achieves what it looks like their favourites now to achieve - to win a Bundesliga - and the result that they had at the weekend, I think it will be really insightful to actually see, if he is in the Premier League next season, what is his way of playing?
"How does he go about it and how would it be different to Jurgen Klopp and his Liverpool team?"
Carragher continues
"Liverpool are a more direct team, they go faster, they use counter-attacks more,"
"Bayer Leverkusen, this team and maybe his influence, is more Pep Guardiola. It’s more Manchester City - because he’s been his manager.
"But if Xabi Alonso was to become the Liverpool manager, which I think he will, I actually feel Liverpool have been quite fortunate that Jürgen Klopp has left at this time, is moving on, and the time for Xabi Alonso to step in is pretty perfect with the job that he’s doing.
"He has to have his own philosophy and put his imprint on the team. But this team is so used to playing in a certain way under Jürgen Klopp, and also the fact that Anfield, the crowd, the energy - Xabi Alonso knows that.
"So I actually think you’d see a merger of the two styles if he was to get the job.
"But I have no doubt that right now, he’s the brightest young thing out there now as a manager.”
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