Max Eberl tried to sign the Spaniard when he was at Borussia Monchengladbach.

The newly appointed sporting director of Bayern Munich, Max Eberl, made headlines during his introductory press conference on Tuesday by expressing his admiration for Xabi Alonso, the current head coach of Bayer Leverkusen.

Alonso, a former player for Bayern Munich, has been speculated as a potential candidate to succeed Thomas Tuchel as the head coach of the German football giants.

Eberl recounted his past attempt to recruit Alonso back in 2021 for Borussia Monchengladbach, where he was serving as the sporting director at the time. Alonso, who was coaching the Real Sociedad B team then, turned down the offer, stating he felt it was too early for such a move and that he needed to gain more experience. Eberl admired Alonso's decision, remarking, "He told me it was too early and that he needed to gain more experience. That's what truly made me like him."

Eberl, 50, who transitioned to Munich from Leipzig after a long tenure in Dortmund, emphasized that no direct connections should be made between his previous attempt to sign Alonso and the current speculations linking Alonso to the Bayern Munich coaching position. This statement comes amid discussions about the club's future direction following the announcement that Thomas Tuchel will depart at the end of the 2023/24 season.

Bayern Munich, which boasts talents like Portuguese international defender Raphael Guerreiro, finds itself in a challenging position in the Bundesliga. After 23 matchdays, the club is currently second in the league, trailing eight points behind Bayer Leverkusen, the team managed by Xabi Alonso. This backdrop adds an intriguing layer to Eberl's comments, as Bayern Munich looks to navigate through a period of transition and speculation about its future leadership.