Roberto De Zerbi? Xabi Alonso? Who is the best fit to succeed Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool as Emile Heskey admits that Steven Gerrard is out of the running for now

As things stand, the Premier League and Champions League-winning head coach on Merseyside is under contract until the summer of 2026. He continues to be linked with the German national team job every time that position becomes available, but has offered no indication that he will be jumping ship before his current terms come to a close.

Quizzed by GOAL on whether the German links are anything to worry about, former Reds striker Emile Heskey – speaking on behalf of Betting Sites – said: “It will always be a cause for concern because when you are a coach – any coach, especially one that has won what he has, tells you that they are not interested in what we would consider the pinnacle of coaching their national team, they are lying. You earn your stripes at this level and then you really want to pit your wits against the best players and work with the best from that nation. At this moment in time he’s probably happy where he is, but surely that’s got to be in the back of his mind – that one day he wants to manage the national team.”

Asked if he has seen anybody that appears to be a potential Liverpool manager of the future, with Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi considered by some to sit in that bracket, Heskey said: “That one is very interesting. I haven’t though. There was a bit thing for Stevie to be that next one. You never know, but I can’t see it at this moment in time. Xabi Alonso? He’s doing really well, so you never know with that. I haven’t seen anyone that really sticks out and you think ‘that’s the manager, that’s the next one’. And they probably haven’t seen that manager that is going to be the next Jurgen. It’s going to be tough. You look at what’s happening down the road [at Manchester United], they haven’t got it right regarding who is going to be the next Sir Alex Ferguson – how long ago was that?”

Whoever Liverpool look to bring in next, Klopp’s successor will be expected to play a certain brand of football that is both pleasing on the eye and positive in terms of results. Heskey, who took in 223 appearances for the Reds between 1999 and 2004, added: “I think that’s the key thing – playing the Liverpool way. Jurgen has really bought into that and taken it to another level because the standards they are producing now are very high. The technical, tactical, fitness levels are very high and it takes a special coach to get it to that level. Who’s going to take it to the next level?”

There was a point not all that long ago, when he was winning the Scottish Premiership title at Rangers, that Steven Gerrard appeared destined to retrace steps to Anfield. A disappointing spell at Aston Villa has damaged his coaching reputation somewhat, with the ex-Reds and England captain now in Saudi Arabia with Al-Ettifaq. Quizzed on whether Gerrard has to prove himself all over again, Heskey – who once played alongside the talismanic midfielder – said: “You are always proving yourself. The reality is that Jurgen is still proving himself. When you have won the Premier League, then you have to do it again. You win the Champions League and that’s not it, you have to do it again. He is looking to prove himself. He’s gone to Saudi to have a go at that league and then look at options going forward. He will always have options, it’s about picking the right one for himself that is going to allow him to grow as a manager. The reality is that it didn’t go too well at Villa. We have seen it not go too well for David Moyes at United, it doesn’t mean he’s a bad manager – he won the Europa Conference League [with West Ham] and did fantastic. You always have to prove yourself and re-establish yourself, and I don’t see why he [Gerrard] can’t do that.”

For now, Liverpool remain firmly focused on the present. Having missed out on major silverware entirely in 2022-23, there is a desire to get back on the trophy trail as soon as possible. They have made a positive start to the current campaign, picking up 13 points from their opening five Premier League fixtures, and are due to get a bid for Europa League glory underway on Thursday when travelling to Austria for a meeting with LASK.