Liverpool great John Barnes believes he is not surprised Xabi Alonso opted to take over as Chelsea’s next manager, considering the issues Arne Slot is now facing after following in Jurgen Klopp’s shoes at Anfield.
Despite winning the Premier League in his first season in charge, Slot has faced furious criticism from a number of fans following Liverpool’s dismal championship defence, which concluded in seventh place.
Alonso, who took himself out of the running to follow Klopp in 2024, was extensively linked with replacing Slot this summer if Fenway Sports Group decided to fire the Dutchman.
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However, the Spaniard, who won the Champions League with Liverpool in 2005, accepted an invitation to take over as Chelsea manager earlier this month, having been out of employment since being fired by Real Madrid in January after only six months in charge.
Barnes feels the shadow of the Klopp period still hangs over the Liverpool squad, which led to Alonso’s departure to Stamford Bridge.
“I don’t think it’s a shock at all because when you look at what Jurgen Klopp created at Liverpool, it’s a bit like what Sir Alex Ferguson created at Manchester United, where any manager coming in is going to be judged against what they did,” Barnes said.
“So, if Xabi had returned to Liverpool, there would have been tremendous pressure. I believe he will receive more playing time at Chelsea than he did at Liverpool.
Barnes told betfred.com: “I’m a fan of Arne Slot, but Xabi probably looks at that situation and thinks who wants to go to Liverpool after Jurgen Klopp because, as we can see from Mo Salah’s social media post, the players are invested in Jurgen’s way of playing football.”
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