Don’t Tell Me Liverpool Time Rules Him Out – Richard Keys Gives Man Utd Advice

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Richard Keys has urged Manchester United to ‘move heaven and earth’ to secure Xabi Alonso and dismissed thoughts his Liverpool past should be a barrier.

Manchester United are left with a somewhat familiar predicament, after sacking Ruben Amorim as manager after 14 months, and parachuting in Michael Carrick as caretaker head coach for the rest of the season, as to who their next permanent boss should be.

While the debate rages on at Old Trafford, Alonso has also been relieved of his duties at Real Madrid , having been only appointed last summer.

Keys believes that the availability of the Spaniard is serendipitous, deeming the timing to be ‘perfect’ for Manchester United .

Manchester United should pull out every trick in the book, Keys insists, to make Alonso their next permanent manager.

Keys wrote on X : “Perfect.

“United should move heaven and earth to appoint Alonso.”

Keys also used the example of arguably the biggest figure in Manchester United’s history, to declare that Alonso’s time with Liverpool should not negate him as a candidate for the Red Devils.

“And don’t tell me his time at Liverpool rules him out – Busby played for them and City.”

Last February, Keys declared Amorim to be decidedly ‘out of his depth’ , after having already called for his head in January .

Alonso’s stock remains high despite his short tenure at Real Madrid , with his Bayer Leverkusen side going 51 matches without defeat in all competitions until the Europa League final, and securing the Bundesliga title unbeaten, only two seasons ago.

The Spaniard is also seen as a serial winner, racking up trophies with Liverpool, Real Madrid , Bayern Munich and the Spanish national team during his playing career.

Busby represented both Liverpool and Manchester City during his playing career, before a famous sliding doors moment arrived at the beginning of his coaching career, when he was offered the assistant manager position with Liverpool after serving as an assistant coach with the Reds.

Fans of either club have often wondered how different their sides’ paths might have been based on Busby’ decision to turn that offer down to instead take up the managerial role at Manchester United .

While the vagaries of modern football surely prevent Alonso, or any manager for that matter, to have such a colossal impact on any club’s long-term direction, the Spaniard is certainly talented enough to at least dictate the medium-term fortunes of his future employers.