'Depending on..' Alan Shearer names the only manager who could replace Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool

Premier League legend Alan Shearer believes that Xabi Alonso is the standout pick to replace Jurgen Klopp at the end of the season.

Klopp will step down after eight years at the club and replacing him will certainly be an almost-impossible task, but Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen side have been in incredible form this season and his stock as an manager is certainly at an all-time high.

He has certainly emerged as the favourite; there are no clear standout candidates and other names such as Julian Nagelsmann, Roberto De Zerbi and Jose Mourinho have been a couple of names floated. However, all signs seem to point towards the Spaniard, who is currently unbeaten this season after 31 games.

Offering his thoughts on Alonso, Shearer told The Rest Is Football Podcast: “It’s Liverpool Football Club, one of the giants of world football. Depending on clauses and everything else, I would think that would be too good for him to turn down if he was offered it. You’ve got to have belief in who you are and I would imagine that Xabi will do.

“I just hope that all the speculation with him and Liverpool doesn’t affect them [Leverkusen] in the coming weeks because that would be such a shame for them. What a job he is doing, it’s incredible isn’t it? What a job he is doing.”

Liverpool's immediate future is more important; four trophies are on the line and five games in 14 days including a cup final is a hectic schedule. There's also the task of securing a new sporting director before a manager and with Klopp's staff leaving at the end of the season, it will be all change at Anfield and it's of paramount importance that they get it right.

Alonso is hoping to break the 11-year stranglehold that Bayern Munich currently have on the German league title and his side's 3-0 victory at the weekend to give them a four-point cushion at the top of the table was their result of the season to date - and if he continues on this run the reports of a move to Liverpool will only increase.