Xabi Alonso will unlock £145m double act for Liverpool | OneFootball

Reports of Xabi Alonso coming to Liverpool are gathering momentum.

The Spanish head coach is out of work since January after leaving Real Madrid. The 44-year-old lasted only a matter of months in the Bernabeu hotseat. Now he’s available once again without a release clause attached and it brings Liverpool back into the picture.

The Premier League champions were reported to be interested in appointing their ex-midfielder as head coach following Jurgen Klopp’s departure.

But the Champions League winner could not be tempted away from Bayer Leverkusen following an undefeated league and cup double-winning campaign.

He opted to remain at the BayArena for one more season - admittedly less successful - before moving to the Spanish capital.

And if he comes to Anfield as Arne Slot’s replacement this summer he will find two players he worked with at B04 who are badly in need of his guidance.

Alonso got the best out of Wirtz

Florian Wirtz became a superstar under Alonso at Leverkusen - scoring 11 goals and adding 12 assists in their Bundesliga title-winning campaign.

Last season he put up 10 goals and 13 assists - lightyears away from what he has been producing under Slot on Merseyside.

Slot has been unable to get the best out of Wirtz on a consistent basis - searching for the formula that could justify an outlay of up to £116m.

This was always going to be a bedding-in season for the Germany international but with Mohamed Salah leaving he will now have to step on the gas.

Frimpong not as productive under Arne Slot

Wirtz excelled in a left-sided No10 position in Alonso’s very effective 3-4-3 system at Leverkusen. If he brings that system to Merseyside with him then we can expect Liverpool’s No7 to reach his best form more often.

Likewise the £29m arrival from Leverkusen - Jeremie Frimpong - has flattered to deceive during his first season with the Reds.

Acquired as a Trent Alexander-Arnold replacement the Dutchman is not a right-back in a conventional sense - nor is he a natural replacement for Mohamed Salah further up.

Instead he works best as a right wing-back - but Slot has been stubbornly refusing to use a back three all season long.

© IMAGO - Xabi Alonso Jeremie Frimpong Florian Wirtz Leverkusen

Alonso will get the best out of Frimpong and Wirtz

That in turn means Liverpool have been unable to use Frimpong in his best position. Injuries haven’t helped but the 25-year-old is really waiting for his Liverpool career to get going to this point.

There have been flashes of one-v-one individual quality out wide but nothing like the consistent threat we saw at Leverkusen.

Frimpong scored 26 goals and added 33 assists during his time under Alonso - a far cry from his output under Slot. The 47-year-old former Feyenoord chief has simply been unable to unlock several of the new arrivals - and Wirtz and Frimpong are among them.

Having committed £145m on signing the pair it’s clear they need another coach to get them up and running. Adding Alonso to the ranks as head coach looks to be the best move available.