Former Manchester United and Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger believes Xabi Alonso wants to manage Liverpool.

The 42-year-old is the bookies’ favourite to replace Jurgen Klopp in the Reds dugout and, Schweinsteiger, who played alongside Alonso at Bayern for a year, says his former teammate will be keen to take up the position:

“I know Xabi and I think his big dream is to coach Liverpool too. And I can already imagine that it could be this summer, that he is going to Liverpool.”

Alonso has remained tightlipped on whether he would be interested in succeeding Klopp at Anfield. He is focused on his current job at Bayer Leverkusen, with his team sitting top of the Bundesliga table after 20 games played.

Liverpool have reportedly made contact with Alonso already

It is believed that the Reds first made contact with the Spaniard back in November when Klopp first informed the club’s owners that he would be leaving at the end of the season.

German TV station Sport1 have, though, since clarified that Alonso remains “happy” at Leverkusen and his club are “optimistic” about keeping him beyond this campaign.

Schweinsteiger’s comments add fuel to the fire

Other reports have suggested that Alonso has a clause in his Leverkusen contract that would allow him to speak to either Liverpool, Real Madrid or Bayern if they make an approach in the future.

It hasn’t been officially confirmed that this clause exists but Schweinsteiger’s remarks do suggest that Alonso does harbour ambitions of managing at least one of his former clubs.

The Reds have yet to start their recruitment process as they seek a replacement for Klopp, but there is now growing evidence that Alonso would be open to returning to Liverpool if the manager’s job was to be offered to him in the coming months.