Exclusive: Liverpool’s three most likely candidates to get the manager’s job have now been ranked

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Liverpool have three main candidates to take over from Jurgen Klopp as manager at the end of the season.

The Reds are currently in the midst of finding the right man to succeed Klopp after almost nine years at Anfield. And speaking exclusively to RTK, journalist Graeme Bailey says the search is narrowed down to three coaches, with Xabi Alonso still the clear favourite.

“At this point I’d be very surprised if it wasn’t Xabi Alonso,” says Bailey. “I don’t see Amorim as ahead of De Zerbi, I think De Zerbi would be ahead of Amorim in the thinking in terms of analytics and what he’s done with the money.

“I don’t see them going much further than them to be honest. But it’s Xabi’s to turn down. I don’t see Xabi turning Liverpool down.

“They’ll be having conversations about that now and let’s not beat around the bush, they’ll be talking to Xabi now. He can say he’s concentrating on Bayer Leverkusen all he wants but there has to be that quick turnaround at the end of the season. So, I firmly believe it is his to say no to.

“He knows everything, he knows the club. He’s previously said that he wants to manage Liverpool. He’s had this chance to do it at Bayer Leverkusen, this is his chance to beat Bayern. What would he benefit from doing another year at Bayer Leverkusen, they’ll get pillaged by all the other clubs this season anyway. It’s going to be him.”

Alonso still the clear favourite

Unless anybody appears from left-field, you’d have to imagine that these are the three coaches most likely to be at Liverpool next season. If it isn’t Alonso, then it’ll be either De Zerbi or Amorim.

For just about everybody it seems, the Reds would be foolish not to offer the job to their former No.14.

De Zerbi and Amorim are good coaches, of course. The Portuguese has actually been reported as being the ‘stand out’ candidate other than Alonso and that would seem fair.

But although Amorim has actually done what his Spanish counterpart has not and won trophies in the game, he doesn’t have that same status as Xabi.

As for De Zerbi, there’s still reason to question if he’s truly ready for another step up.

He’s done well at Brighton and has far more experience than both Amorim and Alonso, but we don’t think he’s shown enough. There are still a few too many wobbles.

With all due respect, a manager who has lost 4-0 at Luton Town in the recent past should not be in the running to manage Liverpool.

Should the other two candidates be impossible to land, then maybe De Zerbi could be in with a shout. But the options should be exhausted before that happens.

Anyway, all signs point to Alonso being in the Liverpool dugout next season. Let’s get the wheels moving, Reds!