An updated look at who could replace Jürgen Klopp in the summer

Nobody's looking forward to Jürgen Klopp's exit- at least nobody who supports Liverpool, surely fans of the two major clubs in Manchester and those down in London will be ecstatic- but even so, securing the future of Liverpool is key, so it's time to think about who could be at the helm next year.

It's not every year that a club like Liverpool has an opening to fill, so there will certainly be plenty of highly-qualified candidates vying for the job. Let's take a look at some of the potential names that could be thrown in the ring.

Xabi Alonso

Let's just start out by talking about the name everyone is expecting to see; Xabi Alonso, a fantastic former Red who captained the Liverpool legends squad to a win over Manchester United's legends less than two years ago.

Xabi is crushing it in the Bundesliga, just as Klopp was before coming over, as his Leverkusen side is pulling away in the league with 18 wins and no losses in 22 matches.

They look like ending Bayern Munich's string of dominance in Germany, and the hope is that Xabi could do the same to Manchester City if he moves to Anfield.

Of course, when anyone outside of Bayern does well in Germany, whether that's a player or a coach, Bayern takes it very personally and attempts to secure that person's services.

Reports are out that they're parting ways with underachieving manager Thomas Tuchel at the end of the season, and could be strong contenders to hire Xabi.

Then there's the third route- Xabi could stick around and try to build something special with Leverkusen. The club finished 6th last year, so he has yet to coach them in the Champions League, an opportunity he might relish.

Of course, the odds are great that Bayern storm back next year and win the league comfortably; if he ever wants to make the leap to a big club, his stock will likely never be higher than it is right now, so this could be the moment for a move to the club where he made his name.

But if he doesn't lose a single game all year, can he really leave before seeing how long that record can last?

Thomas Tuchel

No, Tuchel's stock isn't at an all-time high, but he's been viewed at times as one of the very best managers in the World, and has some Premier League experience.

He's never won domestically in England, but he is a German coach who took down Manchester City in a Champions League final, all details that make him appear like a solid successor to Klopp's project.

Things have been rough at Bayern this year, but perhaps a return to England could do Tuchel a world of good. He'd be up against familiar foes- ones he's done well against in the past- and could be supported well by the club's on-pitch leadership, depending on who stays past Klopp's exit.

Roberto De Zerbi

Liverpool grabbed Klopp when he was a rising star, rather than one of the titans of football. If they want to do something similar, albeit with a coach who has yet to attain the silverware Klopp did with Dortmund, they could nab Roberto De Zerbi from Brighton & Hove Albion.

Obviously, De Zerbi brings Premier League experience, as he has helped to lift Brighton from a mid-table to relegation side to the top portion of the table and even the Europa League Round of 16 after winning their group.

Liverpool's leadership has seen his mettle firsthand, as Brighton overcame a Mo Salah brace to draw the Reds back in October.

It remains to be seen whether the Italian manager will want to make the leap, or continue his project, but his style could be a good fit for what remains of Liverpool's roster after Klopp is gone.

With so much managerial turnover in the Premier League, he'd be wise to take the opportunity if it comes his way.

José Mourinho

What better way to follow up "The Normal One" than with The Special One? It was in fact Mourinho who Klopp was referencing when he gave himself the endearing moniker, and it would be fascinating to see the legendary, if polarizing, manager take over at Anfield.

Mourinho is not remotely lacking in terms of Premier League experience. His Chelsea sides absolutely shattered records domestically, and he even won a Europa League title with Manchester United.

His tactical style is very different from Klopp's, but who even knows how much of the roster will be intact after Klopp leaves.

Some managers are better at maintaining an institution than Mourinho, but few are better at starting from scratch and building something special.

If that's the situation in which Liverpool find themselves after potential departures by the likes of Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah, they may want to make some real waves and hire a true legend.