Journalist shares phone call with Xabi Alonso that sheds light on what to expect from Liverpool rumours

Liverpool are not the only team interested in signing Xabi Alonso. Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich are also desperate to hire the Spaniard at the end of the season.

Not only has Alonso climbed to 11 points clear of Bayern, his dominance of the Bundesliga outfit prompted them to announce that Thomas Tuchel will leave his post as the club's manager at the end of the season.

So, it seems as though Liverpool and Bayern will battle it out for Alonso.

Both clubs can sell Alonso the dream of managing one of his former clubs but only Liverpool can offer the 42-year-old what he can't have now: a challenge different to the Bundesliga.

In theory, Alonso can achieve everything he can at Bayern if he stays at Bayer Leverkusen. Only Liverpool can offer him an exciting new path.

But, it doesn't seem likely that we'll get any news about where Alonso will be headed next from the man himself or sources close to him.

Spanish journalist and close friend of Alonso's, Guillem Balague, has revealed how difficult it is to get information out of the former Liverpool midfielder.

“I would call myself a friend of his. We’ve been out a few times and helped each other through the years, especially as a player in Liverpool,” he told BBC 5 Live Sport.

“But, when he was whistled twice by Real Madrid in pre-season [2014], I was told he was going to Bayern Munich. I rang him and said, ‘Are you?’ ‘No absolutely not. I’m definitely not going to Bayern Munich’.

“Which he did the next day… I’ll never forget. It’s a lesson! He doesn’t give anything away. So it won’t be through him that we hear what he does next.”

Alonso is clearly going to keep his cards very close to his chest. Despite that, rumours over his future continue to swirl as various journalists, both domestic and from Germany, report conflicting claims.

However, with Alonso and Liverpool both keeping a tight lid on any plans they're hatching, it's still too early to speculate what will happen from here on out.