untitled-design-2024-03-29t174549-250.png
Getty Images

Bayer Leverkusen's Xabi Alonso has announced that he will remain Bayer Leverkusen head coach beyond the end of this season, which is a decision that has ramifications for more than one major European club. Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich were keen to appoint the Spaniard as Thomas Tuchel's successor while Liverpool wanted Alonso to come in to follow on from Jurgen Klopp at Anfield -- both clubs which the 42-year-old played for during his distinguished playing career.

"I made my decision to continue to be the coach of Bayer Leverkusen," explained Alonso on Friday. "I feel this is the right place for me to be and to develop as a coach. I think it wouldn't be correct for me to talk about other clubs when they're in this situation. For sure they are clubs that I have a strong link with - I played there, so I respect them, but it wouldn't be correct to talk about them. It's more about my conviction that I'm at the right place in Leverkusen. At this stage of my young career as a coach, it's early to talk about these things."

Now that both European giants have missed out on the Basque boss, at least for now, what will it mean for their respective managerial hunts? We look at Liverpool, in particular, with Klopp's succession a critical moment for the Reds' hierarchy which is currently undergoing a makeover.

Roberto De Zerbi

Brighton and Hove Albion's Italian tactician is now firmly in contention for at least one of these two posts with Alonso's decision thought to have bumped De Zerbi up to one of Bayern's main alternative targets. The Seagulls have struggled a bit of late given a wave of injuries and absentees which arguably cut short their European run in the UEFA Europa League, but that does not take away from what the 44-year-old has managed to achieve since taking over from Chelsea-bound Graham Potter. De Zerbi could yet be pipped to it by another name, but the Anfield hotseat could tempt him away from American Express Stadium this summer.

Ruben Amorim

Another name to move up a notch on the Liverpool shortlist will be that of Sporting CP boss Ruben Amorim who has been linked with a number of Premier League postings before this one, including Aston Villa before Unai Emery replaced longtime Reds hopeful Steven Gerrard on the bench at Villa Park. The Spaniard might yet be a surprise candidate for the role, but the 39-year-old Portuguese boss has worked wonders with Sporting since his 2020 arrival and is expected to move on sooner rather than later. As soon as this summer? Very possibly…

Thomas Tuchel or Julian Nagelsmann

The German duo are very interesting with both in roles which will only be temporary until the end of the current campaign. Tuchel is leaving Bayern this summer while Nagelsmann is yet to extend with the Germany national team beyond this summer's UEFA Euro 2024. The former has already coached Chelsea and led the Blues to UEFA Champions League success while the latter has significant experience despite his relatively young age and was a target for Tottenham Hotspur before Ange Postecoglou made the role his own. Given the two current roles and profiles of the 50-year-old Tuchel and the 36-year-old Nagelsmann, it would not be a huge surprise if the pair's future were interlinked with Tuchel definitely Die Mannschaft material if Nagelsmann goes to a destination such as Anfield. Then again, Tuchel's time with Chelsea makes him an absolutely logical fit for Liverpool given his EPL experience and penchant for following on from Klopp with a good success rate.

Franck Haise

That leaves just the outsiders and that is exactly what RC Lens' Haise is despite having done a phenomenal job of turning the Northerners around since their return to Ligue 1. The French tactician is certainly not considered a favorite and is in rank outsider territory but the logic behind such a match has already been discussed and it is not as far-fetched as it might initially sound. A lot would have to align for Haise to be offered the position but the 52-year-old is certainly starting to factor into these sorts of discussions based on his overachievements.