Bayer Leverkusen CEO speaks publicly about Xabi Alonso one day joining Liverpool

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Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro has been speaking about the possibility of Xabi Alonso joining Liverpool.

Alonso has been doing a remarkable job at Leverkusen since being appointed just over a year ago. Having steered them away from trouble last season, the Spaniard now has them top of the Bundesliga table and flying in Europe.

This has led to suggestions that Alonso is now destined to take charge at one of his former clubs. Some reports have even suggested that the World Cup winner has a clause in his contract allowing any of Liverpool, Real Madrid or Bayern Munich to poach him at any time.

Now, speaking via journalist Ben Jacobs on X, Carro has claimed that there is no such clause, not one that’s written, anyway.

“No, but you don’t need a clause,” explained the director. “We have a very, very good relationship with Xabi and he knows we are a serious club. And at the end of the day, we’re not going to force someone to stay if he doesn’t want to stay. We want him to feel so happy and so good with us that he really only wants to stay and this is our objective.

“There is nothing on paper [allowing Alonso to leave for a former club]. But sometimes agreements that are not on paper are agreements as well. We know if he needs to do a move in the future we will be able to talk with each other. And I hope we will not need to do this because he will stay and be happy at Leverkusen.”

Leverkusen realistic about Alonso

Since taking over last year, Alonso’s time at Leverkusen has been an unmitigated success. It’s still early days this season, but they look well capable of battling Bayern for the Bundesliga title.

If Xabi can wrestle the championship away from the Munich side for the first time in years, it will be confirmation that he’s heading for a stellar coaching career.

Of course, that doesn’t have to be with one of his employer’s as a player, not at all.

But having turned out for three luminaries of European football, they’re three jobs that would surely appeal to Alonso.

From a Liverpool point of view, this is something of a moot point just at the moment. Although it would be incredible to see Xabi on the touchline back at Anfield, Jurgen Klopp isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

As a result, Leverkusen should be much more worried about a potential approach from Bayern or Real.

With Thomas Tuchel not long into his stint in Munich, Madrid seem the more likely to be picking up the phone to Leverkusen in the near future.

If they do, it’s hard to see why Alonso wouldn’t ask his current club to allow him to leave. From there, getting him to Liverpool will be much more difficult. Instead, Reds fans may be hoping their former midfielder honours his contract at Leverkusen, which coincidentally runs until 2026...