Has Jurgen Klopp anointed his Liverpool successor? Departing Anfield boss says Xabi Alonso 'is the standout manager of the next generation' as Reds consider luring their former midfielder from Bayer Leverkusen

Xabi Alonso is being touted as the man who could take over from Jurgen Klopp The Spaniard has taken Bayer Leverkusen to the top of the Bundesliga tableLiverpool must be ruthless - Jurgen Klopp has to hang on to two-point lead until title clash with Man City - It's All Kicking Off podcast

Jurgen Klopp has hailed his potential successor Xabi Alonso as the “stand-out” manager of his generation.

Alonso, whose Bayer Leverkusen side are top of the Bundesliga, has been tipped to replace Klopp having won the Champions League with Liverpool as a player.

While Klopp stopped short of officially endorsing the 42-year-old, his praise for the “exceptional” Spaniard will be read with interest by the decision-makers at Anfield.

‘Xabi is doing an incredible job,’ acknowledged Klopp, who leaves at the end of the season.

‘The ‘dinosaurs’ like Ancelotti, Mourinho, Guardiola and myself will not do it for 20 more years but the next generation is already there. I would say Xabi is stand-out in that department.

Jurgen Klopp (left) has lauded Xabi Alonso (right) as the ‘stand-out’ manager of his generation

Alonso played for Liverpool between 2004 and 2009, winning the Champions League in 2005 and the FA Cup in 2006

Klopp lauded his potential successor as a ‘world-class player’ and added that he was doing an ‘incredible job’ at Bayer Leverkusen

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‘He was a world-class player, like a coach already, and the team he has set up is exceptional. Not only the points tally but the way they play.’

Klopp remains the last manager to stop Bayern winning the Bundesliga when he was at Borussia Dortmund. Since then, the Bavarians have won 11 league titles in a row but currently lag behind Leverkusen after being thrashed 3-0 last weekend by Alonso’s team.

‘We beat Bayern because we defended very well and counter-attacked,’ assessed Klopp.

‘But Leverkusen were clearly better which is surprising because of the short time Xabi has been there (October 2022). For the time it’s taken, he’s put his proper stamp on it. The team is so well-tuned. The coaching part is exceptional.

‘He is doing a special job. In Germany, they are saying: “Wow, it is really impressive.”

Leverkusen are also in the semi-finals of the German Cup and into the knockout stages of the Europa League where they could meet Liverpool in the latter stages.

Meanwhile, Klopp welcomes back Mo Salah as his Premier League leaders face Brentford in the lunchtime kick off today (Saturday).

Salah has recovered from a hamstring injury sustained in last month’s AFCON playing for Egypt with Joe Gomez, Ibrahima Konate and Conor Bradley also available after missing last weekend’s win against Burnley.

An enthusiastic Klopp said: ‘I’m over the moon Mo is training and looks really sharp.

‘He has missed football a lot. It’s probably the longest period he has been out for a time. It strange for him and us but having him available is a massive boost.

Alonso has taken Leverkusen to the top of the Bundesliga, five points ahead of Bayern Munich who they beat at the weekend 3-0

Mohamed Salah will return for Liverpool’s clash against Brentford on Saturday and Klopp said he is ‘over the moon’

Klopp added that Trent Alexander-Arnold will be out of this month’s Carabao Cup final

‘It’s nothing to do with the numbers he produces, just his personality. He is on fire. He’s the most professional player I’ve ever met.’

Klopp confirmed Trent Alexander-Arnold is out of this month’s Carabao Cup final because of a knee injury. He had only recently returned from earlier ligament damage but Klopp insists nobody is to blame for the setback.

‘We never forced anyone back and never will do,’ he said. The world we are living in it is always immediately “Medical department?” But it’s nothing to do with that.’

Klopp is also pessimistic Liverpool can sign Kylian Mbappe this summer with the Frenchman favoured to join Real Madrid from PSG.