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Obsessive! He's worked under Guardiola, Mourinho and Ancelotti - but what are the secrets of Xabi Alonso, Liverpool's manager in waiting? Mail Sport spends two days with him to find out what makes him tick

Xabi Alonso. Once the prince of Liverpool’s midfield, a man who may now become the king of Anfield.

As news of Jurgen Klopp’s seismic departure began to sink in, the question Liverpool fans are asking is: who is next?

Today was the biggest football day in Liverpool since Kenny Dalglish resigned in 1991. And 15 years after Alonso departed Anfield as a player to join Real Madrid, Alonso is the heir to the throne.

At 42, he is the hottest young manager in Europe. His adventurous Bayer Leverkusen side lead the Bundesliga and are winning rave reviews with the bold style they have taken to Bayern Munich.