Liverpool next manager odds: Xabi Alonso leads list of favourites to replace Jurgen Klopp at Premier League club

Jurgen Klopp has stunned the football world by announcing that he will leave Liverpool at the end of the 2023/24 season.

The news has sent shockwaves around football and the tributes for Klopp's successful eight-and-a-half-year stay at Anfield have been pouring in.

The German joined Liverpool in 2015 and led the club to their first ever Premier League title during the 2019/20 campaign.

Under his guidance, Liverpool have also won the UEFA Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, the League Cup and the Super Cup.

Replacing Klopp will be a tough task for any manager but the bookies have already put a list of favourites together for the upcoming vacancy at Anfield.

Here's a look at the leading candidates from BoyleSports:

The former Liverpool midfielder is the bookies' favourite to replace Jurgen Klopp at Anfield. Xabi Alonso enjoyed a fine spell during his playing career at Liverpool from 2004-2009. He scored in the 2005 Champions League final when Liverpool recovered from 3-0 down to defeat Italian giants AC Milan on penalties to lift the trophy.

The Spaniard also won the FA Cup, Super Cup and Community Shield during his time at the club. Alonso is the current manager of Bundesliga club Bayer Leverkusen where he has guided them to a record-breaking start to the campaign. Leverkusen are unbeaten in the league so far and have won 15 out of their opening 18 matches, and sit four points above reigning champions Bayern Munich.

The Brighton manager has been a breath of fresh air even since taking charge of the Premier League club last season. Roberto De Zerbi was brought in after former boss Graham Potter joined Chelsea and he has elevated the team to a whole new level.

The Italian guided Brighton into Europe for the first time in the club's history after helping them finish in the sixth place last term. De Zerbi's style of football has been a joy to watch and he has improved almost every player in his team. Brighton have already reached the knockout stages of the UEFA Europa League this season and De Zerbi could be a perfect candidate to replace Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.

What a story this would be! Jurgen Klopp has previously said that Steven Gerrard would become Liverpool manager in the future and this could be an opportune time for the former club captain to take the role. Gerrard is already a Liverpool legend for his achievements at Anfield during his playing time where he was the driving force behind every team he captained. Gerrard's managerial career has had its ups and downs so far.

Gerrard led Rangers to their first Scottish Premiership title in 10 years with an unbeaten campaign during 2020/21, but he failed to live up to expectations as Aston Villa head coach. The former England captain was sacked last season by Villa and has since taken his talents to Saudi Arabia where he has taken charge of Al-Ettifaq where he has since signed a new contract. Would Gerrard have been willing to sign that new deal if he knew the chance to manage Liverpool was on the table...

Julian Nagelsmann is a man with a point to prove after a rough end to his period at Bayern Munich that saw him replaced by Thomas Tuchel mid-season. Nagelsmann was viewed by many as one of the brightest young managerial talents after enjoying success at RB Leipzig and then helping Bayern to another league title in the 2021/22 campaign.

He has now taken over as the manager of the German national team but his contract only runs until the end of the home European Championships in the summer. Nagelsmann has never managed outside of Germany before, but his experience of improving young players and getting the best out of a group at club level could work in his favour.

Look away now Tottenham fans! It is no surprise that Ange Postecoglou is one of the candidates tipped to replace Jurgen Klopp at Anfield. The Australian has won trophies throughout his managerial career and he left a huge mark during his time at Celtic, where he won the Treble in his final campaign with the club. Postecoglou joined Spurs at the start of the season and his style of football has rejuvenated supporters and players alike but most importantly, he is getting results.

Postecoglou's Spurs are the only team to defeat Liverpool in the Premier League this season and they are right in the mix to fight for a place in the Champions League next season.

Speaking to TNT Sports, Postecoglou also recently said that he was a Liverpool fan growing up: "I was a massive Liverpool supporter. Every week, we’d get one or two hours of English football. We’d just take it all in, that would be our buzz for the week. That was the football we grew up on. Kenny Dalglish was king for me, I just worshipped everything he did, from Celtic to Liverpool, for Scotland. Then he became manager of Liverpool, so he was the one for me.”

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