Richard Keys has slammed Xabi Alonso for rejecting Liverpool and has questioned his ambition for deciding to stay at Bayer Leverkusen.

Alonso was a strong contender to replace Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager this summer but he was also on Bayern Munich’s shortlist as they look to appoint a successor for Thomas Tuchel, who is leaving at the end of the season.

However, Alonso has publicly declared that he will spend another season with Leverkusen, who are currently 13 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga, while they also remain in contention to win the Europa League and the DFB-Pokal.

But the decision has been heavily criticised by Keys, who insists the 42-year-old should have moved on from Leverkusen this summer.

‘Will there be a time again when jobs that he would be linked with, and has been, Bayern Munich, Liverpool, we threw Barcelona in there, Manchester United, Real Madrid has been mentioned,’ Keys said whilst presenting beIN Sports’ Sunday coverage.

‘Never will there be a time again where those jobs will be available to him.

‘Where does he take them from here? I think he should have had the courage to take one of the jobs that is better than his, but he’s decided to sit safe.

‘And that led me to question the size of his cojones. Now’s the time, is it not?

‘Right now, I think they’ve [Liverpool] have dodged a bullet. Now’s the time, he cannot have a better season at Bayer Leicester-kusen than he’s had.’

When it was suggested that Alonso may not feel he’s ready to take the Liverpool job, Keys replied: ‘Then I would question his ambition.’

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