Former Liverpool attacker Ryan Babel has questioned whether Xabi Alonso is ready for the Anfield job.

The Bayer Leverkusen coach is favourite to succeed Jurgen Klopp when he leaves Anfield this summer.

Babel told BBC Sport: "I think that would be the ideal scenario," Babel said on Alonso's potential appointment at Liverpool, where he played for five years and won the Champions League and FA Cup.

"It's a great story. He was a Liverpool player. He is now in his first year as manager and has impressed the world with the performances he has accomplished so far.

"As a Liverpool supporter you would love to see that."

But Babel added: "Sometimes I feel like we like to get excited very quickly and then when things don't go how we hope we like to chop their head off. So for Xabi it's a good question to see if he will be ready. With Liverpool there's a different expectation."