Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso has explained his decision to stay at the club despite being heavily linked with Liverpool and Bayern Munich.
Both Liverpool and Bayern saw Alonso as a candidate to replace Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel respectively for next season.
Alonso's stock has risen this campaign as his Leverkusen side sit top of the Bundesliga, ten points ahead of Bayern after 26 matches.
Read: Update: Liverpool Make 'New' Decision On Alonso
However, the Spaniard announced his decision on Friday that he will be remaining with the club next season.
"It has been a season with a lot of speculation regarding my future," Alonso said at his press conference, as per ESPN.
"I wanted to use the international break to reflect a little bit better and to take a decision.
"Last week, I had a good meeting with Simon [Rolfes, the club's sporting director] with Fernando [Carro, CEO], when I informed them of my decision to continue being coach of Bayer Leverkusen.
"For sure all the decisions, you need to analyse well, and I tried to take the right ones, I tried to take the ones that come in a natural way, and at this moment I feel this is the right place for me to be to develop as a coach.
"I am a young coach, but I have to feel it, and right now I feel that this is the right place."
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