Xabi Alonso has commented on the speculation linking him with taking over at Liverpool at the end of the season.

Alonso, a former Reds midfielder, was reported to be a frontrunner in replacing Jurgen Klopp, who announced his plans to leave the club after this campaign.

The Spaniard, 42, is currently tje coach of Bayer Leverkusen, who he has led to an unbeaten start to the Bundesliga campaign with 15 wins and three draws from 18 games.

When asked about the links with Liverpool on Friday following the shock announcement of Klopp’s coming exit, Alonso insisted he is ‘very happy’ at his current club, but refused to rule out a future move to Anfield.

The gaffer said: ““At the moment, I am really happy here. I enjoy my work here and feel that it’s given me a challenge. We are on an intense but beautiful journey here in Leverkusen and I’m trying to give my best to help my players be ready for the next thing.”

He added: “To be honest, I am not in that moment, to think about the next step. I am thinking about where I am right now. I think I am in a great place and am enjoying it. I think it’s the right place and all that I can say. What’s going to happen in the future, I don’t know. I don’t really care at the moment.”