Liverpool have been told which two Premier League sides they could face competition from for Xabi Alonso, with the Spaniard seemingly already making plans for his first season back at Anfield.<\/p>\n
Arne Slot is fighting for his future as Liverpool<\/a> head coach amid the team\u2019s poor title defence. The Reds sit in the fifth and final Champions League qualification place, but they are being chased by Chelsea, Brentford and Everton.<\/p>\n Liverpool\u2019s chances of winning silverware appear slim, as they have been drawn against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-finals and will face Manchester City in the FA Cup, while they were knocked out of the League Cup by Crystal Palace.<\/p>\n Slot will likely need to steer Liverpool into the Champions League qualification spots to keep his job, though the recent 2-1 defeat to Brighton did him no favours.<\/p>\n Alonso<\/a> has been a free agent since his sacking by Real Madrid in January, and the former midfielder\u2019s availability is casting a big shadow over Slot\u2019s future.<\/p>\n Liverpool chiefs are facing a huge decision on Alonso this summer, as Anfield reporter Lewis Steele has warned that the Reds icon could join Chelsea if FSG opt to continue with Slot.<\/p>\n \u201cNow, what I heard the other day was a lot of these clubs think that Alonso is quite attainable now,\u201d Steele told Anfield Index<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cHowever, it is a bit of a now or never situation because he\u2019s going [to] take a job this summer. Whether that\u2019s [Manchester] City, whether that\u2019s Liverpool, whether it\u2019s well, I don\u2019t know who else, but you know, Chelsea might have sacked Rosenior by them, for example.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, it\u2019s either you get him now or you don\u2019t because once he\u2019s into one of them Premier League clubs, he\u2019s not going to be your man anymore.<\/p>\n \u201cLiverpool will be aware of that when they come to make their mind up on Slot, and they probably will have it\u2019s not the sort of thing where they can make a call to Alonso in on the 1st of June, for example. I think his future would be decided by then.\u201d<\/p>\n Reports claimed on Saturday that Alonso has landed on Real Madrid playmaker Arda Guler as his first Liverpool target<\/a>.<\/p>\n Alonso was key to Guler\u2019s development during his time at the Bernabeu and is seeking a reunion on Merseyside.<\/p>\n Guler would be a spectacular signing for Liverpool as he is a world-class talent who has been affectionally labelled the \u2018Turkish Messi\u2019.<\/p>\n However, Madrid would want a huge fee of over \u00a3100million to sell the attacking midfielder.<\/p>\n Steele\u2019s comments come after we revealed on Tuesday that Alonso is ready to return to management this summer<\/a>.<\/p>\n Get the inside story first by joining our TEAMtalk Facebook channel<\/a> to receive the latest breaking and exclusive news straight into your Messenger inbox.<\/p>\n Xabi Alonso favourite for the Liverpool job<\/p>\n We can confirm that Alonso is in pole position for the Liverpool job, despite Andoni Iraola and Sebastian Hoeness also being liked.<\/p>\n German outlet Bild\u00a0state that Alonso is \u2018ready for Liverpool\u2019<\/a> and has already reached an agreement with the club, with Slot set to leave \u2018no later than the summer\u2019.<\/p>\n But David Ornstein insists Liverpool remain behind Slot<\/a>, despite calls for him to be sacked.<\/p>\n \u201cAll our information, despite reports to the contrary, is that Liverpool are sticking with Arne Slot,\u201d Ornstein said earlier this week.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s no thought to changing coach. They are planning with him and their priority is to give him the profile of squad to succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n Liverpool: Defensive battle; Serie A target<\/p>\n Liverpool in four-way fight to sign one of the fastest centre-backs in Europe \u2013 sources<\/a><\/p>\n