Manchester United were reportedly turned down by Xabi Alonso in the summer when scouring Europe for a potential Erik ten Hag replacement. The Spanish tactician is one of Europe's most higly coveted coaches, impressing at Bayer Leverkusen.
The Daily Mail's Sami Mokbel reports that Alonso snubbed United and his former playing club Liverpool. He decided to stay at BayArena after guiding Leverkusen to the Bundesliga title unbeaten.
Ten Hag's future is again in the spotlight after a summer of speculation over INEOS deciding whether to keep him in charge. The Dutchman signed a new one-year contract extension but the team's worst start to a Premier League campaign has reignited talk that he could depart.
Xabi Alonso rejected Manchester United for Bayer Leverkusen stay
Alonso has been a managerial revelation at Leverkusen and guided Die Werkself to the Bundesliga title, ending Bayern Munich's 11-year stranglehold on German football. He did so with aplomb, with his troops unbeaten in 34 games.
The former Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder extended his contract with Leverkusen in the summer of 2023. He's tied to the German outfit until 2026 but his stock continues to rise as one of Europe's best managers.
Manchester United appear to have approached Alonso as they sought to replace Ten Hag potentially. The Red Devils failed to persuade the Spaniard to leave BayArena while Liverpool also couldn't convince their former midfield maestro to succeed Jurgen Klopp.
It would be unlikely Alonso would accept United given his ties to their Merseyside arch-rivals. He's also still just getting started in his managerial career and there's no escaping the risk in the Old Trafford hotseat.
Erik ten Hag is safe for now
Ten Hag headed into the international break with his job seemingly at risk amid a meeting held by Manchester United's hierarchy. They discussed the gloomy situation that has taken hold this season, with the Red Devils sitting 14th in the league after seven games.
Fabrizio Romano reports on his YouTube channel that Ten Hag didn't receive any formal communication stating that he could continue his job. It's claimed that the Dutch coach wasn't close to the sack, and he's preparing his squad for Brentford's visit to Old Trafford on Saturday (October 19).
Red Devil Armada Verdict
Alonso was always going to say no to Manchester United, especially during a huge transitional period for the club. INEOS are enticing as proven by their success in not paying over the odds for signings in the summer but appointing the former Liverpool man is far fetched.
That said, Alonso would undoubtedly be the most exciting replacement for Ten Hag if the Dutchman were to leave. He's overseen 67 wins in 100 games at Leverkusen, implementing an inventive and entertaining style of play that also resulted in his troops finishing runners up in the UEFA Europa League.
Real Madrid feels the next destination for Alonso to succeed Carlo Ancelotti at a club he knows well. Liverpool are no longer in the equation after Arne Slot replaced Klopp.
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