Xabi Alonso to rub salt in Liverpool's wounds after two phone calls over transfer move

Via mirror

Xabi Alonso could get an early one over on Arne Slot with the Bayer Leverkusen boss personally trying to convince Liverpool-linked defender Waldemar Anton to join the German champions.

The potential steal of the German international comes not long after Liverpool's pursuit of Alonso

Now Liverpool find themselves potentially on the losing end in a transfer head-to-head with Alonso, who looks to have claimed the upper hand in the race for the VfB Stuttgart defender.

According to German broadcaster Sky Deutschland, Alonso has been in direct contact with the centre-back to convince him to join the reigning league champions.

The report claims that Alonso has made two personal phone calls to Anton

No verbal agreements have been reached. Anton has a release clause between €20-25 million in his contract without a deadline.

The Reds made an enquiry regarding the potential signing of the 27-year-old earlier this summer

Anton is one of several players who look set to depart Stuttgart after the team finished runners-up behind Alonso's Leverkusen in the Bundesliga last season.

Slot faces plenty of competition to procure the German's services, including Leverkusen and Dortmund.

now it looks like Leverkusen are in more advanced stages than any of their competitors as the race for the centre-back heats up, with Alonso set to scupper Liverpool's summer plans.