Bayer Leverkusen chief shares belief in Xabi Alonso as ex-star deals Liverpool setback
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Xabi Alonso has already confirmed that he will remain at Bayer Leverkusen next season (Image: GETTY)
Bayer Leverkusen chief Simon Rolfes has revealed that he was never concerned about losing Xabi Alonso to Liverpool or Bayern Munich. Both clubs were thought to have been eager to appoint Alonso, with Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel set to leave their respective roles in the summer.
Last month, Alonso took it upon himself to quash the rumours by committing his future to the newly-crowned German champions for at least one more season. Rolfes was never worried about the possibility of losing the Spaniard, telling The Mirror that he was confident of Alonso staying throughout the entire process. When asked if he ever thought Alonso would have his head turned, Rolfes said: “No.
We are always trustful and had open communication about everything. My feeling all the time was quite good. “There has been some interest for sure but my feeling was always that he feels really good and likes to work with Bayer Leverkusen.
He has a very good connection with the players, the club and the supporters and he feels like ‘okay, maybe it’s good to stay here longer’. We are going to continue together and have more goals to achieve.” Simon Rolfes was never worried about losing the Spaniard to Liverpool or Bayern Munich (Image: GETTY)
The reality is that Leverkusen may face a longer-term battle to keep hold of Alonso, who remains tied down until the summer of 2026.
He is thought to have a release clause in the region of £13 million that will become active in 2025, meaning he could still leave the club next summer. Rolfes, however, is focused on the here and now with Leverkusen aiming to win the DFB Pokal and Europa League titles to complete a historic treble. “There are expectations but there are also ambitions to win,” he added.
“Now we are in the semi-final, we want to go to the Europa League final. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time.
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“We’ve also got the DFB Pokal final and that’s a big motivation and inspiration for all of us, the players, the staff, the club, and the fans. It gives us a lot of energy to go and continue playing these matches and keep winning. To have the record continued in Europe is special, it’s a historic moment.”
It remains to be seen if Alonso will end up joining Liverpool at some point in the future, with the Reds still looking for a new manager to succeed Klopp next season. Sporting boss Ruben Amorim is thought to be among the leading candidates, while Feyenoord head coach Arne Slot has reportedly emerged as a surprise contender in recent days.
