Michael Edwards, who has reportedly agreed to return to Liverpool, wants former Liverpool player and Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso to replace Jurgen Klopp at the helm next season.
Michael Edwards Working To Bring Stability To Liverpool
Edwards, who left Anfield in 2022 to focus on his advisory role at the statistical analytics-based company Ludonautics, has agreed to return to the club this summer. According to a report by The Athletic, Edwards will assume a senior role with Liverpool’s owners, Fenway Sports Group (FSG), and oversee all things soccer in Merseyside.
With Klopp announcing his decision to step down as manager at the end of the 2023-24 season, Liverpool are looking at a major overhaul. FSG wanted someone surefooted to steer the ship over the upcoming turbulent period, and they kept coming back to Edwards, despite him turning down the job once before.
Impressed with FSG’s persistence, Edwards has finally hopped on board and, according to HITC, he has already filled the vacant Sporting Director role. Ex-Bournemouth executive Richard Hughes has reportedly agreed to oversee the Liverpool rebuild alongside Edwards and an announcement confirming his appointment will soon arrive.
Edwards Wants Xabi Alonso To Succeed Jurgen Klopp
With the Sporting Director appointment out of the way, Edwards is turning his attention to bringing the right manager to Merseyside. The FSG group believes Alonso, who won the 2005 UEFA Champions League with Liverpool, will be the perfect successor to Klopp, and Edwards is in complete agreement. However, with Bayern Munich also keeping a close eye on the Spaniard, it may not be a slam dunk for the six-time European champions.
Sources believe Edwards and Hughes have alternatives in mind, including ex-Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann and Brighton & Hove Albion manager Roberto De Zerbi. But Liverpool are confident Edwards will get his man this summer.
Alonso is currently overseeing a historic campaign at Bayer Leverkusen. Under his tutelage, Leverkusen have gone 25 games unbeaten in the Bundesliga, snatching 21 wins and enduring only four draws. They are currently 10 points clear of holders Bayern Munich and should celebrate their first Bundesliga title at the end of the season. Alonso’s side are also without defeat in the UEFA Europa League and DFB-Pokal and could theoretically end the season with a Treble.
