Florian Wirtz, the Liverpool attacking midfielder, reportedly favours working with Xabi Alonso at Anfield next season over continuing under Arne Slot. Wirtz previously played under Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen, where they secured the Bundesliga title in the 2023/24 campaign.
Alonso’s Interest and Wirtz’s Preference
When Alonso was considered for the Real Madrid managerial position last summer, he wanted Los Blancos to sign Wirtz. However, the then-Real Madrid president Florentino Perez did not grant Alonso’s request, and Wirtz eventually joined Liverpool in a £116million deal.
According to a German source, Wirtz has informed German national teammates and former Leverkusen teammates that Sebastián Parrilla, Alonso’s assistant, has contacted him. It is suggested that Jeremie Frimpong is also involved in these exchanges, with direct contact between him and Xabi Alonso never having stopped.
The German source, Bayern Space, stated on X: “Florian Wirtz has informed German national teammates and several of his former Leverkusen teammates, including Jonathan Tah, now at Bayern, that Sebastián Parrilla, Xabi Alonso’s long-time assistant at Leverkusen and most recently part of his staff in Madrid, has very recently reached out to him.”
Bayern Space also noted: “Jeremie Frimpong is also understood to be involved in these exchanges, with direct contact even with Xabi Alonso himself never having stopped, but what elevates this beyond routine contact is the depth and tone of the conversations, Parrilla is said to have asked highly specific and unusually concrete questions about life in Liverpool, the internal dressing room dynamic, the atmosphere around the club on and off the pitch, and even which structural or sporting aspects would require adjustment.”
Slot’s Position Under Scrutiny
Wirtz initially faced challenges in adapting to Slot’s system at Liverpool, although his form has improved recently. Liverpool are in danger of missing out on the Premier League top five, increasing pressure on Slot.
While Fenway Sports Group (FSG) are unlikely to sack Slot before the season’s end, discussions regarding his future will take place thereafter. Alonso is reportedly the leading candidate to potentially replace Slot if Liverpool decide to make a change.
Alonso’s Preparations?
The German source also stated: “Inside those circles, Florian is increasingly indicating that his preferred outcome would be Xabi Alonso taking over at Liverpool, and the reactivation of contact at assistant level, combined with the detail and intent behind these discussions, is not being interpreted as casual or nostalgic communication.”
The report adds: “It points far more towards something deliberate, coordinated and quietly progressing in the background, with strong indications that Alonso and his staff are at the very least seriously exploring, if not already preparing for, a potential move into that environment.”
Reports have already surfaced about Alonso demanding three major signings for Liverpool in the summer of 2026.