Will Bayer Leverkusen's Xabi Alonso take over from Jürgen Klopp at Liverpool?

Roque Oller ALONSO The Spaniard is among the favourites to replace Klopp at Anfield TO LIVERPOOL? FROM LEVERKUSEN

[{"selector":"#anim-2b969b01-232d-433c-9b9d-6f2c3132de30","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-100%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] In his first full season as head coach of Bayer Leverkusen, Xabi Alonso is working wonders: the Bundesliga club are unbeaten!

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[{"selector":"#anim-2a733ec8-703d-4af0-8f37-6613812b73bd","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 170.91239%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] With 48 points from 18 Bundesliga games, Alonso’s side sit top of the Bundesliga, four points clear of champions Bayern Munich.

[{"selector":"#anim-185562e3-21ff-4701-aaa4-6fd50d7b7ce9","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 172.53844%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Leverkusen’s start to the league season is the third best in German history, bettered only by two of Pep Guardiola’s Bayern teams.

[{"selector":"#anim-90f3f64e-2094-4ceb-9c9c-39bdc0d9a970","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 138.70736%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Die Werkself have also reached the quarter-finals of the German Cup, and topped their Europa League group with six wins out of six.

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[{"selector":"#anim-b3901307-9e7f-4942-9ca9-d8dca7e4fd90","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -183.1075%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The World Cup-winning former Spain midfielder is often seen joining in with the team’s training sessions - and it’s clear he’s still got it…

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[{"selector":"#anim-973205c1-02ef-41c8-8d2c-528d1c2bfa99","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 170.91239%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":4000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Leverkusen say they won’t stand in Alonso's way if a big job comes up, and the 42-year-old himself recently joked that he’s only there “on Erasmus”.

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