Boudewijn Zenden believes former Liverpool team-mate Xabi Alonso is not ready to succeed Jurgen Klopp.

Nobody is suggesting he is leaving anytime soon but there will be a day when the Anfield hierarchy must look beyond the talismanic German. Klopp only signed a contract extension last year, committing his future to Liverpool until 2026.

A who's who of footballing greats will be lining up to succeed the 56-year-old when his illustrious reign comes to an end. Few, many believe, would be better suited to carrying on the mantle than ex-Red and current Bayer Leverkusen manager Alonso.

The Spaniard has his side unbeaten after 10 league games this season - winning nine - to emerge as surprise contenders for the Bundesliga title. A 2-2 draw away to Bayern Munich is the only blemish on an otherwise perfect start to the campaign.

Alonso is impressing in his first gig as a professional manager after starting off coaching Real Madrid's youth ranks. However, former team-mate Zenden, who started alongside the 41-year-old in the 2007 Champions League final, wants him to prove his worth further before taking the Liverpool job.

"I played with Xabi at Liverpool and I understand why people are saying he could be the solution when Klopp leaves," he told WSM Casino. "Jurgen is doing a great job at the moment and he's here to stay for many more years.

"There's no doubt that Alonso is doing great things at Bayern Leverkusen - who aren't a small team! To compete with the likes of (Borussia) Dortmund and Bayern (Munich) isn't easy, but he's doing really well and he has a certain style of play and his own ideas of how to play.

"He likes to play a possession-based game and create things from there. It's offensive and it's caught the eye of a lot of people. We have to ask if Liverpool is the right fit for him at the moment, but Xabi is in the right place.

"I don't think moving to Liverpool will happen on the back of one successful year. He has to prove himself over the next few years and keep the momentum going."