The rumours have been swirling all season, but David Ornstein has delivered a clear message: Liverpool are not pursuing Xabi Alonso.

There was a moment this campaign when every dropped point felt like a crisis. Every tactical decision from Arne Slot invited scrutiny, and every managerial vacancy across Europe seemed to drag Alonso's name back into the conversation. The noise was impossible to ignore.

Yet Liverpool's stance remains surprisingly firm.

Speaking on NBC Sports, Ornstein confirmed: "My information is that Xabi Alonso is not under consideration at Liverpool at all and that Liverpool fully intend to go into next season with Arne Slot as their head coach."

It's a significant update given the turbulence of the 2025/26 campaign. Slot arrived at Anfield with enormous momentum after delivering the Premier League title in his debut season. Fast forward twelve months, and the atmosphere has shifted dramatically. Liverpool sit fourth in the table, twenty points behind Arsenal. Their exits from the Champions League, FA Cup, and Carabao Cup have sharpened criticism around both performances and direction.

Still, inside the club, there appears to be genuine belief that Slot deserves the chance to rebuild rather than be replaced.

Ornstein added: "Liverpool will want to recruit for Arne Slot this summer, particularly in the winger position. I would expect one or two to come in. They think that will be crucial and once they have come in, that's when you can perhaps judge Arne Slot more fairly."

That's the key context here. Liverpool are backing their manager with reinforcements, not looking for an exit strategy.

Of course, Alonso remains impossible to separate from elite managerial conversations. His stock soared during that remarkable spell at Bayer Leverkusen, where he delivered an unbeaten domestic campaign and a first Bundesliga title. For Liverpool fans, the connection runs deeper — he was part of the club's Champions League-winning side in 2005. But for now, the club is looking forward, not backward.