Pep Guardiola gives Xabi Alonso verdict as Bayern ready offer to usurp Liverpool
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has given a ringing endorsement of Xabi Alonso as Liverpool compete with Bayern Munich for his signature.
Alonso has emerged as the most in-demand manager in Europe after taking Bayer Leverkusen to the top of the Bundesliga by playing an eye-catching style. Leverkusen are eight points clear of Bayern in the German top flight and have set a new record for a Bundesliga club by going 33 games unbeaten in all competitions.
The former Liverpool midfielder is proving to be hugely successful in his first senior managerial role and has inevitably been linked with other jobs. With Jurgen Klopp stepping down at Liverpool in the summer and Thomas Tuchel leaving Bayern at the same juncture, Alonso has found himself in the middle of a high-profile tug-of-war, with Bayern willing to quadruple his wages to £20million per year to land him.
Guardiola coached Alonso when he took charge of Bayern and has been delighted to see his progress this season. “It’s a question for Liverpool, and of course I’m not going to answer, because I don’t know the ideas that they have,” he replied when asked about the links with Liverpool.
“But if you ask me about the job that he is doing, honestly? Wow! It’s the only team in modern football that’s unbeaten in all competitions and fighting in that way with Bayern Munich there.
Marcel Sabitzer completes Man Utd transfer after last-minute deadline day dash
“Now they have the most important part of the season for them. Now they’re in the position that they cannot win the Bundesliga, they can lose the Bundesliga because everybody thinks it’s done. And now is the most difficult thing; it’s not done until it’s done.
"But wow, not just the way they play, they didn’t lose one game in Europa League, in [DFB] Pokal in Germany, and Bundesliga, and the way they’re playing… so I was so incredibly fortunate to have him for one year and a half, two years and he’s such an intelligent player, so intelligent.
Bayern Munich are aiming to beat Liverpool to the signature of Xabi Alonso (Getty Images)HAVE YOUR SAY! Where will Xabi Alonso end up this summer? Comment below.
Asked if he always saw him becoming a manager, Guardiola replied: “In that moment? Yeah – there are holding midfielders, they ask you questions and how curious they are about the game.
"You realise that this guy, if he will retire and will be at home and will be annoyed and nothing to do, and says, ‘OK, I’m going to go back to my business in world football’, and normally holding midfielders like him, [Javier] Mascherano, [Sergio] Busquets – the holding midfielders I had Rodri, [Ilkay] Gundogan - they will be involved in football for sure because they have a vision for a global perspective that is different.
“And he was such an incredible, top-class player otherwise you cannot play for Liverpool, [Real] Madrid, and after Bayern Munich, and a part of Real Sociedad, you cannot play in these teams if you are not a top-class player, an intelligent one, skills and so on, and look. He took a [lot of] good decisions and I’m so happy for him, he deserves it, he’s a lovely, lovely guy.”
and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
