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Jamie Carragher believes his former Liverpool team-mate Xabi Alonso is the favorite to replace outgoing manager Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.
Klopp has made the surprise announcement that he will leave Liverpool at the end of the season, admitting he is “running out of energy” after entering his ninth year in charge of the club.
While Carragher hopes the German can “come out strong”, attention inevitably turns to who his successor will be, with Alonso and Brighton’s Roberto de Zerbi the early contenders.
Carragher gives Alonso, 42, the advantage due to his five years as a player at Liverpool and an impressive start to his tenure with Bayer Leverkusen, who are currently top of the Bundesliga, ahead of Bayern Munich.
Carragher told Sky Sports News: “I think right now, if you look at the Premier League and Europe and think about who fits at Liverpool, there’s no doubt you can’t get away from Xabi Alonso, a former teammate of mine.
Jamie Carragher says Xabi Alonso is the favorite to take charge of Liverpool
Alonso has Bayer Leverkusen at the top of the Bundesliga, four points ahead of Bayern Munich
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“It’s because he’s very respected at Liverpool for what he did as a player, he’s a Champions League winner, he’s always carried himself with real class, he’s a World Cup winner, and that’s just his side of the game.” .
“You think about the coaches he worked with, Rafa Benítez at Liverpool, José Mourinho, Carlo Ancelotti and all these great figures.
“And right now, with the work he is doing at Bayer Leverkusen, he almost seems like the brightest young man in European football, there is no doubt about that.”
“The other one I look at is Roberto De Zerbi at Brighton, who has done a fantastic job. What also stands out about them, what always stood out about Jurgen Klopp, is that Jurgen was always capable of being successful, without being in the greatest equipment expense.
“Look at what Xabi Alonso is doing at Bayer Leverkusen, competing with Bayern Munich. You look at what De Zerbi is doing trying to compete with other top teams in the league, and he has done very well, especially last season.
“But I would certainly say that the favorite, and I think it is too rich for me to say it, would be Xabi Alonso, for the job he is doing at Bayer Leverkusen, which remains the only unbeaten team in Europe in all competitions.
Klopp has made a surprise announcement that he will leave Liverpool at the end of the season.
‘There is a long way to go but they are in an excellent position. I think because of what he’s accomplished, the coaches he’s played with and the start he’s had in his coaching career, he’s definitely the favorite.”
In his column in The Telegraph, Carragher revealed that he initially didn’t believe the news about Klopp.
‘When I was told Jurgen Klopp would make a big announcement on Friday, my immediate thought was excitement. Brilliant. He must be signing a new contract.’
‘After seeing the news that he would be leaving at the end of the season, my heart sank. I really thought it was some kind of hoax or cruel joke.