Plenty of Liverpool supporters are still getting over the fact that the Reds chose to ignore the availability of Xabi Alonso as their new manager this summer.
If Liverpool were to part ways with Arne Slot, which they eventually did, Alonso had felt like the overwhelming favourite to take the job.
Instead, the former Reds midfielder joined Chelsea, and, while he should do well at Stamford Bridge, news that Alonso is pushing to sign Sunderland captain Granit Xhaka shows why Liverpool fans should be reserving judgement. It’s hard to see how a similar move would have gone down well at Anfield.
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Alonso would have tried to sign Xhaka at Liverpool
In one of the most unexpected transfer stories of the summer, Chelsea are reportedly working on a deal to bring 33-year-old former Arsenal star Xhaka back to London.
According to journalist Florian Plettenberg, it is Alonso who is ‘pushing hard’ to get the deal over the line, as he aims to re-unite with his Bundesliga and German Cup-winning midfielder from their days together at Bayer Leverkusen.
It had been reported during Chelsea’s pursuit of Alonso that he was looking for greater control than previous Blues managers over their transfer policy. This bizarre move is proof that he was given it.
In turn, it could also answer why Liverpool were so reluctant to offer him the job. Andoni Iraola has been appointed as a head coach and, like Slot before him, will work in collaboration with Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards to determine transfer targets.
READ MORE: Andoni Iraola already proved he’s the ideal Liverpool coach for Yan Diomande way back in 2020
With Liverpool also needing a new midfielder in the Xhaka kind of mould, it is feasible to suggest that Alonso would have pushed to sign the Swiss if he’d joined the Reds this summer.
Though he has had a renaissance after leaving Arsenal in 2023, Xhaka is exactly the kind of signing which would drive Liverpool fans crazy this summer. Ageing, likely to cost a decent chunk of cash and not really at the level required anyway, supporters should be thankful that they are avoiding this one.
Liverpool sticking with head coach model is fine for now
In many ways, Chelsea’s move for Xhaka is a throwback to the days where the manager of a football club had total control of the players who come in and out.
While some fans, having grown sick of celebrity sporting directors who never face the music, would like to see those days return, Liverpool are better off sticking with what they know for now.
Be honest, are you upset it’s Iraola and not Xabi Alonso? 👀
Sounds like Liverpool were always leaning towards the Bournemouth boss…
Jurgen Klopp was certainly given more control over squad planning during his later years with the Reds, but the German seemingly overlooked contract situations and, with so much already on his plate, it did not feel like the best use of his time.
The modern way is for a manager or head coach to work in collaboration with a recruitment team to build the squad together. This has usually worked well at Liverpool and is the model Andoni Iraola will follow, too.
Though it can be romanticised to let the manager pick his own players, Alonso immediately trying to sign a veteran former charge is a reminder that this approach has its risks too.
Just imagine the headloss if Alonso had tried to bring Xhaka to Liverpool.
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