Xabi Alonso already has perfect pair waiting for him at Liverpool

• 

• Liverpool FC News
• Features
• Xabi Alonso

Liverpool reportedly keeping tabs on Xabi Alonso amid speculation over Arne Slot's future, with Frimpong and Wirtz already at Anfield from his Leverkusen days

Xabi Alonso would know two Liverpool players very well in particular(Image: Anadolu, Anadolu via Getty Images)

It’s no secret that Xabi Alonso will be one of the top contenders to replace Arne Slot should Liverpool opt to dismiss its current head coach.

The club broke its transfer record twice last summer, spending close to $600 million on new signings. But the Reds have struggled to find cohesion so far this term, prompting speculation that Liverpool could seek to replace its manager in the coming months.

Should Alonso be brought in at Anfield, as is being suggested by German publication BILD, the six-time European champions would have the ideal welcoming gift waiting for him upon his arrival. That is because two of the players who joined during the summer transfer window, Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz, enjoyed enormous success under Alonso in his previous role at Bayer Leverkusen.

Moreover, Frimpong and Wirtz were central to much of what Alonso achieved with his title-winning Leverkusen side.

Die Werkself became the only Bundesliga club in history to complete an entire season unbeaten, with Wirtz claiming the Player of the Season accolade.

Frimpong's marauding runs down the right flank wreaked havoc on opposing defenses, with the Dutchman fitting seamlessly into Alonso's system.

While it's improbable Alonso could replicate his exact approach in the Premier League, reuniting with those two players would already afford the recently dismissed Real Madrid manager a significant advantage.

Xabi Alonso found success with two current Liverpool players at Bayer Leverkusen(Image: Getty)

It's worth noting that there have been conflicting reports regarding Slot's future. The board is said to acknowledge the mitigating factors behind Liverpool's underwhelming campaign, though this stance could shift should they fail to secure a Champions League place.

Whatever transpires with the manager, it's set to be a summer of upheaval regardless, given that Mohamed Salah is poised to depart.

Salah has agreed to terminate his contract a year early, enabling him to secure a new club while also freeing up wage budget for the Reds.

Salah arrived at Liverpool in 2017 and has cemented himself as one of the club's greatest-ever players. Potential successors have already been suggested, with Michael Olise, Bradley Barcola, and Anthony Gordon amongst those mentioned.