Jamie Carragher believes that Xabi Alonso is the “natural heir” to departing Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and would love to see him take his position.

WHAT HAPPENED?

On Friday, Klopp declared that he would leave his position as manager at the end of the current campaign. Alonso, the manager of Bayer Leverkusen, was predicted to replace the German as the Anfield manager shortly after the news broke. The 42-year-old would not rule out a return to the Merseyside squad, and now one of his former Reds teammates has urged the team to appoint Alonso as their manager in lieu of Klopp.

WHAT JAMIE CARRAGHER SAID

In his Telegraph column, he stated: “Klopp never needed to learn how to get along with the Kop.” He seemed to have been destined to be the manager of Liverpool. Xabi Alonso is already regarded as the heir apparent in part because of this. It seemed as though Xabi was destined to play for Liverpool from the beginning. It is not unexpected that a large number of people are demanding that he be appointed, given that he was formerly my teammate. I hope Xabi is given the opportunity.

“As a former player for Liverpool who is familiar with the team and the city, loved by the supporters, who has already proven in the Bundesliga that he is one of the world’s most exciting young managers, he checks all the boxes. Given his depth of experience under the likes of Pep Guardiola, Rafa Benitez, Jose Mourinho, and Carlo Ancelotti, among other outstanding managers of his generation, it is just a matter of time until he is hired by one of the top teams. It is impossible to pick the ideal moment for an opportunity like this. It might be right now.

THE LARGER IMAGE

This marks the end of an incredibly important chapter in Liverpool’s legendary past. Six major trophies have been won by the Reds under Klopp’s leadership, including the 2020 Premier League title and the 2019 Champions League triumph. Selecting the appropriate successor is crucial as the German has once again elevated Liverpool to a major global force. Alonso is flourishing at Leverkusen, who lead the Bundesliga and are undefeated this year. A fascinating few months are in store.

Next?

Even though Liverpool is devastated by the news of Klopp’s impending departure, there is still much of the season still to play. They continue to lead the Premier League and compete in the FA Cup, Europa League, Carabao Cup, and other competitions. To ensure that the 56-year-old ends his career on a good note, everyone associated with the club will want to make this a season to remember.