Experience from all sides, the future Liverpool coach has had great teachers

For most Liverpool fans, Xabi Alonso is an obvious candidate to take over from Jürgen Klopp at the end of the season. The Spaniard has impressed a huge amount while at Bayer Leverkusen, with his side leading the Bundesliga title race by five points with 13 matches left to play.

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And Alonso has now been given the backing of one of his former teammates, who says he always knew that he would be the right person for the job. Bolo Zenden and Alonso played together at Liverpool under Rafael Benítez and the Dutch winger has outlined to Ladbrokes how he has long felt that Alonso was always going to make a good coach.

"It doesn't surprise me that he's gone into management. I had the same question regarding Pep Guardiola, who I played alongside at Barcelona," Zenden said. "Did I expect him to be so successful? Well, I could tell he was someone who would always fit into the world of management. "It's the same with Xavi at Barcelona and even Steven Gerrard. They're the same kind of players; none of them have surprised me, but obviously, no one can predict just how successful they'd go on to be. If I could sum Xabi up in one word it would probably be 'intelligent'".

Zenden also expressed his feeling that Liverpool would be the perfect next step for Alonso, even though Liverpool has also been linked with a move for the likes of Roberto De Zerbi and Julian Nagelsmann as well. FSG will not rush the appointment and Alonso, Zenden says, would be the ideal fit.

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"What he's doing at the moment at Bayer Leverkusen is what's setting him apart from everyone else in the running right now," said the former Holland international. "To be able not only to challenge Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga but to absolutely batter Bayern both in their recent game and in the league is so impressive.