Journalist Guillem Balague believes Xabi Alonso would be open to managing Manchester City.
Alonso has been a revelation at Bayer Leverkusen where his side currently sits top of the Bundesliga, five points clear of Bayern Munich.
The Spaniard is the heavy favourite to replace Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool this summer.
However, Balague could see him taking charge at City one day as well.
Xabi Alonso open to Man City job
Balague told BBC’s Football News Show: “I’ll tell you a little secret.
“When he went to Bayer Leverkusen, he told his agent ‘do you know what, I am thinking that if it doesn’t go well at Bayer Leverkusen, I’ll go back to Real Sociedad.
“‘But if it goes well, from here, it’s Liverpool, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich’.
“Let me add Manchester City to the equation and that’s where Xabi Alonso could go next. When, is a different matter.
“He has got something that is difficult to find in football — honesty, directness, there are no hidden agendas or a public persona.
“I have watched his work closely. He is happy for people to judge him by the work he is putting in and the work suggests he is one of the best managers around.
“He has earned the right to choose his future. He is pure elite.
“He has been at that level for so long and he knows what he has to do to replicate that as a manager. That has been put in place at Leverkusen.”
Who replaces Pep Guardiola?
Pep Guardiola isn’t going anywhere just yet, even if links with Barcelona intensify in the coming months.
The Blues boss has a contract until 2025 and he will honour that at the very least.
With everything finely attuned to his liking at City, who’s to say he won’t opt to stay beyond his current deal as well?
The glorious reign could have many more years to go yet but, eventually, it will come to an end.
When that day eventually comes it will be a very sad one for City. A dangerous one, too.
Building the club around Guardiola has led to untold success but what happens when a crucial piece is removed from the Jenga tower? It topples.
Manchester United have still not pulled themselves out of the nosedive Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement started over a decade ago.
Losing such a central figure can have a disastrous impact as whoever replaces them, regardless of their quality, just won’t be the same.
It’s a problem Liverpool will face when Klopp departs and one City will have to take on eventually.
It will be the biggest challenge the club has faced in recent times and, the fact is, it’s impossible to pick Guardiola’s replacement because no one can match up.
You wouldn’t want to be the one deciding who his eventual replacement is but City’s decision-makers haven’t got much wrong so far.
