Liverpool could potentially encounter strong competition in their search for a successor to Jurgen Klopp during the upcoming summer.

In a recent interview, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola expressed his relief at the news of Jurgen Klopp’s departure from Liverpool. Guardiola referred to Klopp as his “best rival” and admitted that he will sleep better now that the German manager is leaving. The rivalry between Guardiola and Klopp has been intense over the years, with both managers leading their respective teams to great success.

Following Klopp’s announcement that he will be stepping down as Liverpool manager, the club now faces the challenge of finding a suitable replacement. According to The Telegraph, several top clubs including Chelsea, Bayern Munich, and Manchester United could all be competing for the same managerial candidates. The paper suggests that Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso and Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi are early front-runners for the Liverpool job. However, sources in Germany claim that Alonso is also being considered by Bayern Munich, while De Zerbi could be a target for Manchester United if Erik ten Hag is sacked.

The future of several other managers is also uncertain, including Thomas Tuchel, Gareth Southgate, and Julian Nagelsmann. Mauricio Pochettino, currently the manager of Chelsea, is not in danger of losing his job but failure to qualify for Europe could put him under pressure at the end of the season.

Burnley is hoping to strengthen their defense by signing Montpellier central-defender Maxime Esteve in the current transfer window. The 21-year-old defender is wanted by manager Vincent Kompany to improve the team’s poor defensive record. Burnley has reportedly offered £10.2 million with a 15% sell-on clause for Esteve. However, Montpellier has already rejected a £9.7 million bid from Nottingham Forest for the young French talent. Esteve’s current contract with Montpellier has another two-and-a-half years left to run.

Sevilla’s veteran midfielder Ivan Rakitic is expected to make a move to the Saudi Pro League, according to The Athletic. The Croatian midfielder has reportedly said his farewells to his Sevilla teammates as he closes in on a transfer to Saudi Arabian club Al Shabab. Rakitic, 35, has been an important player for Sevilla since returning from Barcelona in 2020 and is currently the team’s vice-captain. Sevilla is willing to negotiate his early exit in order to reduce their wage bill, as Rakitic’s contract expires at the end of the season.

Sunderland midfielder Alex Pritchard is refusing to play for the club as he seeks a move to Birmingham City. Pritchard, who is out of contract in the summer, wants a longer contract than what Sunderland is offering. The 30-year-old midfielder is hoping to be reunited with his former Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray at Birmingham City. Pritchard had hoped for a new two-year contract with Sunderland but was only offered one more season. He has received offers from abroad and could potentially secure a longer contract with Birmingham City.