Rafa Benitez drops verdict on Xabi Alonso Liverpool manager link as Richard Keys urges Jurgen Klopp compromise

Liverpool have a huge decision to make at the end of the season when Jurgen Klopp draws the curtain on his iconic era at Anfield. The boss has decided the time has come to step away from his role and pass the torch to someone else, but who that someone is going to be remains one of the most discussed topics in football right now.

Klopp will leave Liverpool once the 2023/24 season comes to a close, ending an historic chapter for the club. While the Reds continue to assess their options, we've rounded up the latest headlines following the announcement of Klopp's departure.

Rafa Benitez discusses Xabi Alonso

Xabi Alonso remains one of the main figures in the picture to take over from Klopp as his unbeaten season with Bayer Leverkusen continues. The ex-Liverpool midfielder is currently eight points clear of his old club Bayern Munich as he closes in on the Bundesliga title.

Alonso's former manager Rafa Benitez has weighed in on his link back to Anfield and while praising his work at Leverkusen, the Spaniard doesn't think Liverpool should be putting all their eggs in one basket.

"There is a lot of noise around Xabi Alonso at the moment, but there are lots of other good coaches not so much in the media spotlight," Benitez told The Athletic. "Teams have to choose not what is trending on social media, but the characteristics they need and the stability and path they want for their team."

'I would say you're not leaving'

While conversations are being had over a replacement, Richard Keys believes the club should look at compromising with Klopp and reaching an agreement that involves him staying in his position. Speaking to beIN Sports, the presenter said the German is 'too big a character' to simply leave Anfield at this point, and Liverpool should look to 'accommodate' his needs.

"You know what I would do? I’d sit Jurgen Klopp down and I would say, what do you want because you’re not leaving," Keys said (via Football365). "So tell us how we accommodate what it is that makes this job possible for you to continue in it and we will do that.

"If it means you’ve got to take Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday off some weeks, that’s fine. If you want to live in Mallorca in your big new house that you’re building, that’s also fine. But you are too big a character in and around this club for us to allow to leave and that’s not happening. So you tell us what we can do to make sure going forward that you are happy in this job."