Bayern Munich honorary president Uli Hoeness believes the club have almost no chance of bringing in Xabi Alonso as their next manager this summer.
The German giants revealed last month that they will not be renewing Thomas Tuchel's contract, with the former Chelsea boss set to depart at the end of the season.
The search for Tuchel's successor is already underway, and Bayern have been heavily linked with Alonso, whose Bayer Leverkusen side are 10 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga and have not lost a game in all competitions this season.
Hoeness admitted he would like Alonso to join Bayern, but he expects the Spaniard to stay put and build on his success at Leverkusen.
'I personally, we all, extremely appreciate Xabi Alonso, but you mustn’t forget that he is now training at a club that is currently in the process of becoming German champions,' Hoeness said in an interview with BR24.
'He has a lot to thank this club for, and so does she. And I could definitely imagine that, given the way I've gotten to know him and appreciate him, he's more inclined to continue because he doesn't want to, let's say, leave that behind.
'If he had had more success for two or three years, it would probably be easier to get him out of there. We’ll see if we can do that this year; it will be very difficult, not to say probably impossible.'
Hoeness' admission could also be bad news for Liverpool, with the Reds looking for a new manager to replace Jurgen Klopp.
Klopp is set to stand down at the end of the season after nearly nine years in charge at Anfield, and Alonso has emerged as Liverpool's No1 target to take over in the dugout.
But they will have to look elsewhere if Alonso opts to stay at Leverkusen for another year.
Reports in Germany this month have claimed that Bayern are ahead of Liverpool in the race to hire Alonso, while former Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys claimed earlier this week that the 42-year-old manager had decided to move to Liverpool.
Yet it now appears possible that neither Bayern or Liverpool will get their man.
Alonso could still manage against Liverpool this season, with the Merseyside outfit and Leverkusen both through to the quarter-finals of the Europa League.
They are on opposite sides of the draw, meaning they could meet in the final on May 22, which may be around the time Alonso makes a final decision on his future.