It’s not Xabi Alonso who wants… And yet!
Thai police have just warned against online scammers posing as the Bayer Leverkusen coach.
Strongly expected to replace Jürgen Klopp at the head of the English club this summer, the Spanish coach is now the target of identity theft to extort money from fans, a little too impatient to see him arrive on the Mersey.
Thailand's Central Bureau of Investigation has asked fans to be wary of a viral message posted on an Instagram account by someone posing as the former Reds and Real Madrid midfielder, asking for donations of 300 baht ( around 8 euros) to help him pay for his plane ticket.
“A scammer pretending to be Xabi”
“I'm Xabi Alonso, I'll be in charge of Liverpool next season, but I'm running out of money for my flights to Liverpool,” said the message, written in Thai.
The former Liverpool and Real Madrid midfielder is among the favorites to succeed Klopp, who surprisingly announced on Friday that he would leave the club at the end of the season.
“Liverpool fans need to calm down.
Xabi is not yet the manager, but there is already a scammer online,” reads the police statement published on Facebook on Sunday.
Only Xabi can stop Flo… 👀✨#Bayer04 #Werkself |
@XabiAlonso #Wirtz pic.twitter.com/NWUxvDtLMK
— Bayer 04 Leverkusen (@bayer04_en) January 24, 2024
Police said the author of the post - doctored to appear to come from Alonso's official Instagram account - was "a scammer pretending to be Xabi".
The English Premier League is extremely popular in Thailand and Liverpool is one of the Thais' favorite teams.
You can find red jerseys and club crests almost everywhere, on clothes, in taxis or stores.