The unthinkable – unfathomable – has become very real indeed for Liverpool supporters across the globe: Jurgen Klopp will end his illustrious tenure at the end of the season.
The German has completed the ultimate transformation at Anfield, yielding godlike status after lifting a battered outfit from the rubble of a shadowed spell in its distinguished history and securing silverware in abundance.
Competition
Season
Premier League
(2019/20)
Champions League
(2018/19)
FA Cup
(2021/22)
Carabao Cup
(2021/22)
FIFA Club World Cup
(2019)
UEFA Super Cup
(2019)
FA Community Shield
(2022/23)
Source: 90min
But as the hackneyed phrase goes: all good things come to an end, and Liverpool know that the curtain will drape with so many fond memories, joyous occasions, and silver-laden successes to adorn the Anfield corridors forever.
Of course, it's not over yet; Liverpool are currently five points clear at the top of the Premier League (though second-placed Manchester City have a game in hand), awaiting Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final, hosting Norwich City up next in the FA Cup and favourites to clinch the Europa League.
A glorious conclusion is very much within reach and the Liverpool squad, resurgent and brimming with talent, will be fuelled with extra fervour to achieve these goals and hand an iconic figure a fitting end to an unforgettable journey.
Possible Jurgen Klopp replacements at Liverpool
While few of a Liverpool persuasion will want to think about a successor right now, Klopp informed FSG of his decision back in November and there has undoubtedly been movement in the background and a list of replacements will have been drawn up.
Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso is a clear favourite for the position, having produced some utterly sensational performances for his German side this season and completing 210 appearances for Liverpool as a player.
According to German outlet SPORT BILD, Alonso has a clause in his contract with the Bundesliga table-toppers that would facilitate a summer transfer to one of Liverpool, Bayern Munich, or Real Madrid – the Spaniard's most prominent teams during his glittering playing career.
The 42-year-old was questioned on the revelations at Liverpool in a press conference and said: "What's going to happen in the future I don't know."
Xabi Alonso's season in numbers
When the news pervaded social media platforms this morning, it's safe to say that a frisson of fear coursed through Liverpool and all of its supporters, but the side have rebounded this year after falling by the wayside during the 2022/23 campaign, with Klopp himself praising "Liverpool 2.0", having overhauled the engine room.
Alas, Klopp's vision does not feature his person at the helm but the foundation has been paved for lasting success at the forefront of the European game, and a rising manager in Alonso could be the perfect appointment.
Alonso joined Leverkusen in October 2022 after previous boss Gerardo Seoane was dismissed following poor results across the board, languishing second from bottom in the league, and enjoyed much success in guiding the club to a sixth-placed finish, qualifying for the Europa League.
This season, the 2010 World Cup winner has transcended belief at the BayArena and has engineered a, frankly, astounding opening half of the season, with Leverkusen four points clear of second-placed Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga with 15 wins and three draws from 18 fixtures.
Furthermore, Die Werkself dominated their Europa League group with six wins from six and will prove one of Liverpool's most dangerous antagonists in the clash for the trophy, also awaiting VFB Stuttgart in the DFB Pokal quarter-finals, with Bayern, RB Leipzig, and Borussia Dortmund felled already.
This shows that he has the managerial chops to outwit top teams to secure crucial results for his side, rather than being a flat-track bully against teams with lesser resources.
Alonso evidently has the trappings of an elite manager in the future and has been described as a "serial winner" by Paul Dalglish, and while all of this aforementioned seasonal success is exciting, it is Alonso's tactical approach that confirms that, yes, here is the man to succeed Klopp at Liverpool.
Xabi Alonso's style of management
Back when Alonso was a player for Real Madrid, then-manager Jose Mourinho proclaimed that: "He has the quality that a 'metronome' must have. I'm sure that when he hangs up his boots he'll be a great coach if he wants to be. He reminds me of Pep Guardiola when I had him as a player. He was already a coach on the pitch."
This is incredibly high praise and it now seems that this is ringing true, with Alonso showcasing his faculty as a high-class manager at the top of the European game, improving his side remarkably despite selling Mousa Diaby to Aston Villa for £52m in July.
Granit Xhaka was brought in from Arsenal while Alejandro Grimaldo and Victor Boniface have both emerged as talented players following their summer arrivals, all playing central roles in the feats.
Alonso prefers to field a 3-4-2-1 formation and this is something scarcely seen at Liverpool but could certainly be worked into the club's system, with three central defenders allowing Trent Alexander-Arnold to wreak havoc in a roaming wing-back role.
Dynamic in possession and relentless in recovering the ball from the opponent, Leverkusen are well-balanced and while a blistering attack catches the eye, it is the rock-solid defensive structure that facilitates the success.
Of course, he is not a carbon copy of Klopp and a tactical settling-in period would be inevitable, but this is a risk worth taking for the Reds as they look to sustain the success created over the many years of his tenure.
Alonso knows Liverpool well; he knows all about the demands for major honours. He is still in his infancy as a manager but offers so much promise and must be the man to succeed an adored figure in Klopp.
The Spaniard's ties with the Reds, experience of English football, winning mentality, and impressive record at Leverkusen all combine to make him the dream candidate for FSG to pursue this summer when the German moves on from the club.
