Claims of a contract clause that would allow Xabi Alonso to join Liverpool have been dismissed, but there are suggestions that a less formal ‘agreement’ is in place.
It was reported last month that there were provisions in place which would allow the Bayer Leverkusen boss to move to Liverpool, Real Madrid or Bayern Munich should an approach be made.
Sport BILD indicated that the ex-midfielder’s two-year extension with the Bundesliga side enables him to switch to three of his former clubs, but the latest suggestions are that this is not the case.
Sports writer Ben Jacobs has tweeted that Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro denies reports of such a clause in Alonso’s deal, but that the club wouldn’t stand in his way should the right opportunity present itself.
?? Asked Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro whether Xabi Alonso has a clause allowing him to join Liverpool, Real or Bayern. "No, but you don't need a clause. We have a very, very good relationship with Xabi and he knows we are a serious club. And at the end of the day, we're not… pic.twitter.com/DWb7wZ29Cx
— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) November 16, 2023
According to Jacobs, Carro said when asked about whether the contract featured a clause: “No, but you don’t need a clause. We have a very, very good relationship with Xabi and he knows we are a serious club.
“And at the end of the day, we’re not going to force someone to stay if he doesn’t want to stay. We want him to feel so happy and so good with us that he really only wants to stay and this is our objective.
“There is nothing on paper [allowing Xabi to leave for a former club]. But sometimes agreements that are not on paper are agreements as well. We know if he needs to do a move in the future we will be able to talk with each other. And I hope we will not need to do this because he will stay and be happy at Leverkusen.”
It would appear that there is nothing in writing that would facilitate a quick exit for Alonso, but equally, Leverkusen don’t seem keen to let him go without a fight.
The side are flying high at the top of the Bundesliga table having won 10 and drawn one of their opening 11 league games this season.
They sit above Bayern Munich, who won their 10th consecutive title in 2022/23 and now have the added firepower of top scorer Harry Kane following his summer move from Tottenham.
Jurgen Klopp was the last manager to wrestle the Bundesliga trophy from Bayern Munich’s grip with back-to-back triumphs in 2010/11 and 2011/12.
Alonso is now bidding to repeat that feat a decade on, but his impressive start to those attempts will no doubt have caught the attention of a number of Europe’s top clubs.
The Spaniard made 210 appearances across his five seasons for the Reds, before eventually moving to Real Madrid in the summer of 2009.
He lifted a World Cup and two European Championships with his country, along with a whole host of club honours, and Alonso already looks well on the way to carving out an equally successful managerial career.
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