Gary Lineker would not be surprised if Liverpool brought in Xabi Alonso for next season | OneFootball

A 3-2 defeat to Manchester United yesterday condemned Liverpool to their 11th Premier League loss of the season.

LManager Arne Slot watched on helplessly as the Reds missed out on an opportunity to boost their chances of qualifying for next season’s Champions League.

They need four more points to guarantee a place in the elite European competition next term, and they could get over the line despite facing Chelsea, Aston Villa and Brentford in their remaining fixtures.

Slot is expected to keep his job heading into next season, especially if Liverpool finish in the top-five.

However, Gary Lineker has admitted that he would not be surprised if the Merseyside club brought in Xabi Alonso as his replacement.

“Would Slot be there next season?” Lineker asked Alan Shearer and Micah Richards on the latest episode of The Rest is Football podcast.

“Eleven defeats in the Premier League, still in the Champions League positions. I wouldn’t be surprised if Xabi Alonso was there next season.”

Alonso has been out of work since leaving Real Madrid in January, and a move to Liverpool could appeal to him.

The 44-year-old was widely linked with the job when Jurgen Klopp announced that he was leaving the Merseyside club at the end of the 2023-24 campaign.

He opted to remain with Leverkusen before moving to Madrid in June 2025, while Liverpool gave Slot the job.

The Dutchman won the Premier League title in his first season and has enough credit in the bank heading into the next campaign.

However, missing out on Champions League qualifications could be a blow to his chances of holding on to his job, and Alonso will not hesitate to join the club if he is approached again.