Huge Liverpool blow as Bayern Munich ‘trump card’ revealed in Xabi Alonso race | OneFootball

Xabi Alonso lifts the Bundesliga title during his time at Bayern Munich.

Bayern Munich hold a ‘trump card’ in negotiations to beat Liverpool to Xabi Alonso this summer, according to reliable journalist Christian Falk.

The Bundesliga outfit announced earlier this week that Thomas Tuchel will leave the club at the end of the season following a poor run of form.

Tuchel has come under increasing pressure over the past month with second-placed Bayern Munich slipping eight points behind Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen after two defeats in a row to the Bundesliga leaders and Bochum.

They also lost to Lazio 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 clash last week and the hierarchy at the Bavarian club are now looking to bring in Alonso ahead of Liverpool.

Liverpool are also on the lookout for a new manager following Jurgen Klopp’s announcement last month that he will be leaving at the end of the current campaign to take a break from football.

But and take over from Tuchel when he leaves at the end of the season.

And Sport Bild journalist Falk claims that Alonso’s relationship with Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge could see the Germans beat Liverpool to his signature.

Falk wrote in his Caught Offside column: “It is no longer a secret that Xabi Alonso is the top candidate to succeed Jürgen Klopp. But FC Bayern now also has Alonso as number one on their wish list. The fact that Tuchel is still allowed to be coach until the summer also has to do with the fact that Bayern is waiting for Alonso.

“The Bayern bosses are self-confident because so far they have gotten every coach they wanted. Even Pep Guardiola. They have a trump card in former CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. Because Rummenigge always kept in touch with Alonso and is considered a confidant of the Spaniard. So Liverpool have got a serious competitor.

“In Leverkusen, the bosses still have high hopes that Alonso will stay. Because: The coach has already given his wishes for new players for the new season. However: A farewell to Alonso could also mean a serious loss in the Leverkusen squad. Florian Wirtz (20) is Alonso’s key player.

“He has complete freedom under his coach. For Wirtz it is clear: If Alonso stays, he will stay beyond 2024. But if Alonso goes to Liverpool in the summer, Wirtz could follow him. Liverpool already have scouts in the stands in Leverkusen to analyse Wirtz.

“The Reds have Wirtz on their shopping list. However, with a transfer fee of €130m, the player would be very expensive. There are enough interested parties with Manchester City, Real Madrid, FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.

“The player is currently too expensive for FC Bayern. But that could change if Jamal Musiala (20) does not extend his contract in Munich (currently until 2026). If Musiala has to be sold, Bayern could suddenly afford Wirtz as a replacement.

“Liverpool still have one Leverkusen player on their list: Jonathan Tah (28) came from Hamburger SV in 2015 for a fee of €7.5m. The defence chief is the second Bayer player alongside Jeremy Frimpong (23) to have an exit clause in his contract, which is valid until 2025: €18m.

“Tah, it seems, is interested in moving to the English Premier League. In addition to Liverpool, Tottenham are also very interested. Basic requirement: If Tah doesn’t extend and goes, then only to a Champions League club.

“There is good news for Leverkusen, at least in the position of sports director. Simon Rolfes does not want to be Jörg Schmadtke’s successor. Rolfes said of the rumours of interest from Liverpool: ‘Our work is also noticed outside of Leverkusen, so there is speculation every now and then. But that doesn’t change my attitude towards Bayer 04. I consciously extended my stay here and am happy with the current constellation at the club. We are very ambitious at all levels.'”