How Xabi Alonso's 12 Leverkusen signings have fared as he's tipped for Liverpool
Ever since Jurgen Klopp announced his decision to leave Liverpool, Xabi Alonso has stood out as an obvious front-runner, but his transfer business has been a little different to that of the man he might replace.
Klopp's success at Liverpool has come with a significant overhaul, with high-profile sales as well as big-money arrivals like Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker helping seal the German's legacy. His potential successor, though, is nowhere near as far into his managerial journey.
Alonso, who won the Champions League with Liverpool as a player, has worked wonders at current club Bayer Leverkusen. His team were at risk of relegation when he took over in October 2022, but he narrowly missed out on a top-four finish in his first season before taking Leverkusen top of the Bundesliga table with more than half of the current season gone.
Part of that climb has come thanks to the Spaniard's ability to make the most out of the players already at his disposal. There has also been a fair bit of change, though, with 12 new faces arriving, and Mirror Football has taken a look at how all of them - except Borja Iglesias, who's yet to make his debut - have got on.
Noah Mbamba
Belgian centre-back Mbamba was signed as one for the future when he arrived from Club Brugge in January 2023. The teenager has been given a brief taste of senior football, though.
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Mbamba made his debut as a late sub on the final day of last season, before making two further appearances from the bench this term. He also featured twice in the Europa League, helping Alonso's side top their group with six wins from six.
Patrick Pentz
Austrian international goalkeeper Pentz also joined in January 2023, providing competition to regular number one Lukas Hradecky. The former Reims man didn't make a senior appearance, though, and was allowed to leave on loan in search of first-team football.
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Xabi Alonso has taken Bayer Leverkusen to the top of the Bundesliga (AFP via Getty Images)That opportunity has seen him spend the current season in Denmark, with Brondby. He has featured regularly as Jesper Sorensen's side fight for the title.
Gustavo Puerta
Colombian midfielder Puerta moved to Europe for the first time when he joined Leverkusen at the end of the January 2023 window. He spent the remainder of the season on loan at second-tier Nurnberg but has been integrated into Alonso's first-team squad this term.
Puerta, 20, has been restricted to brief substitute run-outs in the league. His first start under Alonso came against Hacken in Europe, playing 88 minutes in a 2-0 victory in Sweden.
Alex Grimaldo
Spanish left wing-back Grimaldo was on the radar of Premier League clubs while at former side Benfica. No move materialised, though, and Leverkusen were able to pounce and bring in the 28-year-old as their first summer signing.
Alex Grimaldo has made an instant impact in Leverkusen (AFP via Getty Images)Once part of Barcelona's academy, Grimaldo has been a revelation in the Bundesliga. He has seven goals and nine assists from just 19 league appearances and scored in three straight Bundesliga games in the autumn.
Arthur
Another summer signing, right-back Arthur joined from America MG in Brazil shortly after making his senior international debut for the Selecao. The 20-year-old has been unable to make an early impression, though, thanks to injury.
After making it off the bench in the first two games of the Bundesliga season, Arthur was an unused sub for the third. He hasn't featured since, though, thanks to a muscle injury.
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Jonas Hofmann
Hofmann, 31, hit double figures in his last two Bundesliga seasons at Borussia Monchengladbach before joining Leverkusen for around £8.5m. He's halfway towards repeating the feat in his first campaign at the BayArena, scoring five times and averaging a goal or assist for every 119 league minutes played.
The forward has been used more sparingly in domestic and European cup competitions but has found the net in both. He scored the final goal in a 4-0 Europa League win against Hacken, as well as the seventh of eight in a DFB-Pokal demolition of fourth-tier Teutonia.
Granit Xhaka
Granit Xhaka has settled in immediately (Getty Images)Many Arsenal fans were sad to see long-serving midfielder Xhaka leave North London after seven years, and the Swiss international has shown he still has plenty to offer. Leverkusen sealed a deal for Xhaka despite interest from the likes of Roma, and he has been a regular since returning to Germany.
The 31-year-old has started every single game for Alonso's team, as well as four Europa League games, and has yet to taste defeat. His former club Arsenal, meanwhile, have found it challenging to maintain their levels from last season.
Victor Boniface
While much of the talk in the Bundesliga has surrounded Harry Kane's scoring form at new club Bayern Munich, Leverkusen also have a hotshot new frontman. Victor Boniface is that man, and his 10 goals and seven assists average out at a goal involvement every 76 minutes.
The Nigerian scored three in four before picking up an injury which ruled him out of his country's Africa Cup of Nations campaign. With surgery expected to keep him out until April, Boniface's importance might become even clearer when he isn't available.
Matej Kovar
Three days before Pentz left on loan, Kovar joined from Manchester United in a cut-price deal. Unlike his predecessor, though, the Czech keeper has been able to earn some first-team minutes.
Most of those minutes have come in cups, with five starts in the Europa League and two in the DFB-Pokal. His Bundesliga debut came last week in a goalless draw with Borussia Monchengladbach, with Hradecky dropping to the bench.
Josip Stanisic
Croatian international Stanisic was never able to hold down a regular place at previous club Bayern Munich and perhaps felt his chances would diminish even more when more defenders made summer moves to the Allianz Arena. A loan move to Leverkusen allowed the centre-back to fight for minutes, but he needed to be patient.
Loan signing Josip Stanisic has been made to wait for his chance (Getty Images)The 23-year-old, who often featured at full-back when called upon by Bayern, has slotted in as the right-sided centre-back in the last four games under Alonso. Those games have brought 10 points, helping keep his loan side ahead of his parent club in the table.
Nathan Tella
The loss of Moussa Diaby over the summer looked like it might be tough to deal with, but Alonso has opted for strength in numbers. Hofmann has been part of the solution, while fellow forward Tella has grown into an increasingly prominent role since joining for £20m from Southampton.
The London-born Nigeria international fired Burnley to promotion last season and has chipped in with a couple of goals in his new surroundings. The second of those was a crucial equaliser against RB Leipzig when Alonso's team twice came from behind to win at Red Bull Arena.
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