Xabi Alonso has pointed directly at Florian Wirtz when asked how he ended up in the Chelsea dugout. The Spaniard, now in his first season at Stamford Bridge, used the eve of the Carabao Cup tie at Anfield to make clear how much he owes to the Germany playmaker he coached at Bayer Leverkusen between 2022 and 2025.

Speaking to Goal ahead of the fourth-round tie, Alonso framed his career progression as a direct product of those years in the Rhineland.

“One of the main reasons I am sitting here today is the time I spent with him in Leverkusen.”

Alonso added that he still watches Wirtz closely at Liverpool and expects him to keep climbing.

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The numbers behind the compliment

Under Alonso at Leverkusen, Wirtz produced 38 goals and 41 assists in 119 games across all competitions, driving the club to its first Bundesliga title in 2023/24 and the DFB-Pokal in the same season. That return of 79 goal involvements in a shade over two seasons is the engine room of the “special player” line Alonso keeps returning to in press rooms.

Wirtz left for Liverpool in the summer of 2025 for a reported £116m, as Brit Brief noted in its write-up of Alonso’s remarks.

Chelsea interest, Liverpool not selling

The reunion comes with an awkward footnote. According to a Football365 report citing TEAMtalk, Alonso has told the Chelsea hierarchy to keep tabs on Wirtz and to be in the conversation if the German becomes available in the summer of 2027.

Liverpool, by the same report, are not looking to sell, and the club remain confident he will come good at Anfield.

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Chelsea travel to Anfield for the Carabao Cup fourth round on Wednesday 28 October.

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