I will stay & continue at the club: Xabi Alonso confirms Bayer Leverkusen stay

The Spanish manager has been linked to Bayern and Liverpool job

Xabi Alonso dispelled rumours that he would sign with one of his old teams, Liverpool or Bayern Munich, and confirmed that he feels that Bayer Leverkusen is the best environment for him to progress as a manager.

With a deal with Leverkusen through 2026, Alonso has led his side to an undefeated season and championships contenders, making him the talk of Europe and a rumoured target for elite teams.

Alonso reiterated his allegiance to the team that hired him in October 2022. His appointment was confirmed during a conference held prior to his team’s Bundesliga match against Hoffenheim on Saturday, following rumours that surfaced on Thursday indicating he would not be heading to Liverpool.

”I’m not gonna comment about Liverpool or Bayern. These are big clubs and I’ve strong links with them but I’m in the place where I want to be”. “It’s not time to decide my future now, I want to develop at Bayer Leverkusen”.

“Last week I had a meeting [with club officials] and informed them of the decision to continue being coach of Bayer Leverkusen,” Alonso said.

“After lot of talks about my future, I used the break to reflect and make my decision. I feel this is the right place to be for me as a young coach. My job at Bayer is not over. I want to help the club, help the players to develop, the board is great … it’s all fantastic here.”

He added: “All my cards on the table. I have thought about the decision because you need to reflect well. Once I took it I felt I needed to share it with everyone. It is a sign of respect. I informed the players at a team talk this morning. We have prepared in a normal way.

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“You guys did a lot of speculation – even since last May! It’s part of the business, and I haven’t been stressed by it. It was important it wasn’t affecting the team and the mentality of the team was good. Everything is clear.”

In January, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp declared his intention to quit at the conclusion of the current season, and Bayern confirmed that Thomas Tuchel’s contract will be terminated in spite of his 2025 expiration date.When Alonso arrived at Leverkusen in October 2022, the team was in the throes of relegation. However, he soon turned things around, guiding the team to sixth place and Europa League qualification.With eight games remaining in the campaign, Leverkusen are 10 points ahead of the defending champion Bayern and has won 38 games in all competitions, a German record. Under his leadership, the team has risen to the top of the Bundesliga.

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