Odds have been slashed on Xabi Alonso to make a swift return to the management in the Premier League immediately after his Real Madrid exit.

Alonso only took the reins at his former club last summer following on from Carlo Ancelotti taking the Brazil national team job.

But he only took charge of 34 games at Los Blancos and even though he won 24, it did not take long for the media to report that the former midfielder was under huge pressure at the Santiago Bernabeu.

On Monday, a day on from losing the Supercopa de Espana to Barcelona in Saudi Arabia, Real confirmed Alonso’s departure in an official statement.

He left via mutual agreement, with the club stating that Alonso “will always have the affection and admiration of all Madrid fans because he is a Real Madrid legend and has always represented the values ​​of our club”.

Real, who have appointed former right-back Alvaro Arbeloa as their new permanent boss, also wished Alonso and his staff “the best of luck in this new stage of their lives”.

And that new stage could well come imminently for Alonso. Straight after his departure was announced, he was installed as evens to return to Liverpool as their new manager.

TalkSPORT Bet, who offer the latest next manager odds’, provided the latest updates in the betting market for Liverpool’s next boss.

Though Arne Slot is still in the hotseat, Alonso is 1/1 with the bookmaker. Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique is second in the race at 2/1, with Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner at 5/1.

A shock return for Jurgen Klopp has odds of 8/1, the same as Steven Gerrard and Andoni Iraola. Incredible, Trent Alexander-Arnold is on the bookies’ shortlist at a hilariously brilliant 66/1.

Liverpool next manager odds:

Xabi Alonso 1/1

Luis Enrique 2/1

Oliver Glasner 5/1

Jurgen Klopp 8/1

Andoni Iraola 8/1

Steven Gerrard 8/1

Simone Inzaghi 10/1

Cesc Fabregas 14/1

Enzo Maresca 20/1

John Heitinga 25/1

Unai Emery 25/1

Fabien Hurzeler 25/1

Zinedine Zidane 25/1

Roberto De Zerbi 25/1

Diego Simone 25/1

Julian Nagelsmann 25/1

Marco Silva 25/1

Xavi 25/1

Adi Hutter 33/1

Gareth Southgate 33/1

Mauricio Pochettino 33/1

Sergio Conceicao 33/1

Edin Terzic 33/1

Brendan Rodgers 33/1

Kieran McKenna 33/1

Nuno Espirito Santo 33/1

Eddie Howe 33/1

Massimiliano Allegri 33/1

Carlo Ancellotti 33/1

Roberto Martinez 33/1

Kjetil Knutsen 33/1

Julen Lopetegui 33/1

Frank Lampard 33/1

Thomas Tuchel 33/1

Marco Rose 33/1

Trent Alexander-Arnold 66/1

Alonso dropped Liverpool hint

Alonso was previously a frontrunner to replace Klopp but ended up staying put at Bayer Leverkusen, where he won the Bundesliga and DFB Pokal in a stunning 2023/24 season.

Only last month, Alonso was asked whether he hoped to return to England in the future and many took it as a hint that he would very much be interested in managing at Anfield.

“Well for sure,” Alonso said in a press conference ahead of Real’s visit of Manchester City in the Champions League.

“There’s this bond with the English clubs, for sure with my former club, but at the moment this is my place. This is where I want to be.

“In the future, you never know what could happen.”