Liverpool add surprise Premier League manager to list of Jurgen Klopp replacement after Xabi Alonso snub - Reports

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery has reportedly emerged as a surprise candidate in Liverpool's shortlist to replace outgoing manager Jurgen Klopp. According to Spanish outlet Diario de Noticias, the Spaniard's name has also been thrown into the hat to take over from the German tactician.

However, Emery is believed to be lower in the pecking order than some of their other options. Currently, the top candidates are Brighton and Hove Albion's Roberto de Zerbi and Sporting CP's Ruben Amorim. The report also mentions Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann and Inter Milan's Simone Inzaghi as targets.

This comes after former Liverpool player and current Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso announced that he would be staying with the German club after the current season.

Alonso had been earmarked as the Reds' top target to replace Klopp after his impressive body of work with Leverkusen. Die Schwarzroten find themselves 10 points clear of Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga and are unbeaten this season.

Emery has had an impressive second stint in the Premier League with Aston Villa after having a mediocre spell with Arsenal. He led the Birmingham club to a seventh-place finish last season and they have gone a step further this time around, competing for a top-four spot.

De Zerbi, meanwhile, seems to be a more likely option to take over at Anfield. Coming from Italian side Sassuolo to replace Graham Potter at Brighton, he fired the side to their first-ever European qualification spot, finishing sixth last time around. His style of play has earned him plaudits from top managers including Pep Guardiola.

Amorim, on the other hand, has also been impressive for Sporting. Aged just 39, he has already been in charge of the Portuguese giants for around 200 games and could serve as a fantastic replacement for Klopp.

Real Madrid dealt blow as Liverpool look to hold contract talks with star defender: Reports

The Reds are keen on locking Alexander-Arnold down.

Liverpool are looking to begin contract extension talks with star defender Trent Alexander-Arnold, according to Football Insider. This comes after transfer guru Fabrizio Romano claimed last week that Real Madrid were monitoring the 25-year-old's situation.

The Englishman's current deal with the Reds is set to expire in the summer of 2025. With no talks in sight, Los Blancos were reportedly intrigued at the prospect of signing the right-back. However, the Merseysiders have now decided to begin talks after the current season ends.

The report claims that the major reason behind Liverpool not offering a deal until now was the massive turnaround in the club's backroom staff.

With Michael Edwards being appointed as CEO and Richard Hughes set to join as sporting director, the Reds can now focus on cementing Alexander-Arnold's future at the club.