Guillem Balague has suggested that he can see Xabi Alonso returning to Liverpool as a manager in the future, with a couple of Reds heroes possibly next to him.
The 35-year-old announced his intention to move into management this month, although it isn’t clear as of yet where he will begin the new chapter of his career.
Alonso enjoyed five years at Liverpool, during which he won an FA Cup and the Champions League in 2005, while he went on to lift a whole host of other trophies in spells with Real Madrid and Bayern Munich as well as with Spain on the international stage.
Given his style of play, position on the field and overall tactical qualities, it was always expected that he would make a good coach, and while he still has plenty to prove on that front, Balague can see an emotional return to Liverpool down the line having established himself as a hero at Anfield.
“He wanted to play under Pep because he was already thinking about managing. I can see him at Liverpool, perhaps with Gerrard and Carra next to him? He is open to styles, which means he is not one to stick to one philosophy,” he said in a Sky Sports Q&A session.
“I have the impression he will start with a good team, not too low down, but I haven’t spoken to him about that yet. I cannot wait to see him on the bench.”
While Jamie Carragher continues his life as a Sky Sports pundit, Gerrard is working with the Liverpool youth side alongside his punditry work as he’ll have an eye on the top job in the future too.
It remains to be seen whether or not Balague’s prediction comes to fruition, but it certainly would be a wonderful story for Alonso, who will likely either start off in Spain or England to prove himself as a top operator from the sidelines with Liverpool potentially in his sights once he has the experience and success under his belt to warrant the job.