Will Bayer Leverkusen lose coveted players/coaches this summer?

Bayer Leverkusen won the last Bundesliga title in fantastic fashion, as they were unbeaten until the end of the campaign.

That victory meant they ended Bayern Munich’s dominance of German football, which had lasted for over a decade.

Bayern looked untouchable until Xabi Alonso arrived in town as the manager of Leverkusen, and the Spaniard worked his magic last term.

They lost just a single fixture in the entire season, which came in the Europa League final, thanks to the heroics of Ademola Lookman for Atalanta.

It would be hard for another team to do better than Bayer did last season in domestic football, but that is behind now, and they must face the future.

Every football lover who followed Leverkusen last season wondered if they could replicate that form in this campaign, and they have done well.

They have not been as unstoppable as they were in the last campaign and have already lost a league game while trailing Bayern Munich by eight points after 22 league games.

It seems they will not retain their Bundesliga crown in this campaign, but they have a chance to win the German Cup and the Champions League.

They may have been unbeaten in domestic competitions last season, but the biggest victory for Leverkusen is arguably keeping their best players in the summer.

Their manager, Alonso, was among the most sought-after coaches in the world, topping Liverpool’s shortlist of targets to replace Jurgen Klopp.

Bayern Munich and Real Madrid also wanted to make him their next coach, but Alonso chose to remain in Germany for another season.

Leverkusen would feel lucky that he made that decision because he could easily have walked away from the job if he wanted, and he would not have been stranded.

Bayer Leverkusen tickets are selling more because of Alonso’s decision to stay, but that is not the only reason that is happening.

Leverkusen also faced a genuine threat of losing some of their best players in the last summer transfer window, but most of them stayed.

The Germans succeeded in keeping their hot players despite interest from all over Europe, which means they can continue to perform well as a team.

However, when this season ends, they will face a new fight to keep their manager and most of his best performers at the Bay Arena.

Will Xabi Alonso spend another season at Bayer Leverkusen?

It was a surprise that Alonso decided against changing clubs in the summer because he had the chance to move to several bigger teams.

His team had done the unthinkable, and most clubs believed he had proven he could do a fantastic job on their team.

However, the Spaniard decided to stay where he is at the moment and continue to develop as a coach.

This is a great idea and it certainly has made him a more experienced manager to take on a greater challenge in the future.

Some fans might see Alonso’s decision to stick around in Leverkusen for another season as lacking ambition, but that is far from the truth.

The more time he spends in an environment with less pressure, the easier it is for him to develop further, but is he now ready for a bigger club?

Alonso’s success last season answers that question, but now that he has gained even more experience, the former midfielder certainly is ready to make a move.

In the summer, he would weigh his options, and Alonso would only leave Leverkusen for a top job like Real Madrid or Manchester City.

However, if there are no roles at the biggest clubs around, he might spend another season at Leverkusen.

Can Leverkusen survive a mass exodus of their players?

As one of the teams that overperformed in Europe last season, Leverkusen relied on some of the finest talents in the game.

The Bundesliga side has recruited top players under the radar and has also developed some talents in-house.

Unlike most clubs that win league titles, Leverkusen did not have to break the bank to build its Bundesliga-winning squad.

This model gives the club a chance to sell players at huge profits and they could be cashing in on some stars in the summer.

The smart thing to do would be to sell only a few talents to raise funds, but if they decide to sell too many stars, they may go back to being a mediocre team.

If Alonso leaves his position as their coach, some of their players would also want to try a new challenge, which could lead to an exodus of players.

The club needs to do its best to ensure this does not happen and ensure it replaces every player that is sold with a new one.

If they have to change managers, that could also put them in a tricky spot, especially if the coach plays a different style of football.

The most sought-after Bayer Leverkusen players

At the end of last season, almost all the players in the Bayer Leverkusen squad were desirable, and they could have found new homes if they wanted.

They still have some of the most sought-after players in the German top flight, but here are some of their stars who could leave them faster than others.

Piero Hincapie

Hincapie has been on the radar of some of the top clubs in Europe over the last few seasons. At 23, he could feel the time has come for him to try a new challenge and if a good offer comes for his signature this term, he will want to leave.

Jeremie Frimpong

Frimpong is one of the finest wingbacks in European football, and Leverkusen would feel lucky that he stayed with them for another season.

The Germans know several clubs want to sign him, and they might be open to cashing in on him for a good fee.

Florian Wirtz

Wirtz is unarguably the most sought-after player in the Leverkusen squad, as he is simply their best star.

The German is destined for the top, but he would be the hardest player to sign from the victorious Leverkusen team.

One reason for that is that he needs to be convinced, which is not easy, and a second reason is that he would cost a lot of money.

Victor Boniface

Boniface is already on the market as Leverkusen accepted an offer to sell him to Al Nassr in the last transfer window, even though the move eventually broke down.

The Nigerian might not earn another big money move to Saudi Arabia, but he is almost certain to leave them in the summer.

Newcastle United and several other clubs have been linked with a move for him, and it would be interesting to see where he would spend next term.