Three Teams That Could Appoint Xabi Alonso As Head Coach In The Next Month
It's been over a week since the shock news that Real Madrid were parting ways with head coach Xabi Alonso, by mutual consent. There were rumors it could be on the cards for several months, but the timing surprised fans.
Not even a year into the job, and Alonso is now looking for a new opportunity. Given his work in his two seasons with Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen, there should be no shortage of clubs looking at the Spaniard.
If Alonso is keen to get straight back into coaching, here are three teams who could approach the 44-year-old in the next few months.
Liverpool
Xabi Alonso's links to Liverpool have been around even before he took the Real Madrid job. With most of his playing career across the two teams, it was logical that he would end up at one of those. Now that it didn't work out in Spain, could we see him at Liverpool sooner rather than later?
The Reds still have a head coach in charge, one who delivered a Premier League title in his first season. However, things have been far from ideal for Arne Slot this season. The heat has been on the Dutchman for several months, and drawing at home to second-from-bottom Burnley this past weekend was a new low. If things don't improve, Slot could be gone.
If that is the case, Alonso would likely be the number one candidate for the Premier League side. It would also be a job that he could not turn down, and one that could fit his playing style much better than in Spain.
Eintracht Frankfurt
On January 18, Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt parted ways with head coach Dino Toppmöller. The German had been there for the past two and a half seasons, delivering Champions League football. This season has been below par, sitting in 7th place, 23 points behind top spot and six places off the Champions League places.
Alonso knows the Bundesliga well after his two seasons with Leverkusen, and the opportunity to coach Frankfurt would be intriguing. One of the bigger teams in Germany, Alonso could build something special and challenge for trophies. It feels like the perfect fit for him if the Liverpool job is not available this season.
Tottenham Hotspur
Another Premier League team that still has a coach in the job. However, Tottenham Hotspur coach Thomas Frank is on borrowed time. After this week, if results don't go well, he could be out, with the club sitting 14th in the Premier League.
It's not one of the bigger jobs, such as Liverpool and Manchester City, that could be available after this season. It is one that has potential. Spurs reached the Champions League final in 2019 and won the Europa League last season. They are usually in and around the top four, but the past two seasons have been tough.
It's a project that may tempt Alonso if he knows one of the bigger jobs will not be available. Once again, his style of play will suit the club and the players they have.
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-031bbeb5612ca252e2129722373fa56d.png "Jordan Merritt")
Jordan Merritt is a staff writer for Real Madrid On SI. Before joining On SI, he wrote at Fansided, covering Ole Miss football, basketball, and baseball. He has also written for YardBarker, Heavy Sports, and the official EFL site. Merritt is a big sports fan, spending most of his weekends watching Soccer, the NFL, the NBA, college football/basketball, and others. Before starting his career as a freelance writer, Merritt was an Engineer for over 10 years. He lives in West Yorkshire, England, and is keenly interested in sports trading cards.
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