Despite reportedly contacting Xabi Alonso, Liverpool have NO INTENTION of sacking Arne Slot, with a top Reds reporter detailing four convincing reasons why.
Liverpool cruised through the Champions League group phase for the second successive season under Arne Slot. The list of potential opponents in the Round of 16 reads Atletico Madrid, Juventus, Galatasaray and Club Brugge.
But while it’s been relatively smooth sailing in Europe – the heavy 4-1 defeat to PSV Eindhoven aside – Liverpool’s domestic campaign can only be termed shambolic.
The Reds have won just five of their last 18 matches in the Premier League and none of their last five. In truth, Liverpool’s title defence was already over by Christmas.
Liverpool’s issues on the home front with set pieces, counter-attacks and low blocks have been there for all to see this term. Frustratingly, Slot doesn’t appear to have the answers on how to solve any of those problems.
It’s a situation that has prompted mass speculation Liverpool will make a managerial change, be that mid-season or in the summer.
Xabi Alonso is available to hire and seeking a quick return to management following his early exit from Real Madrid.
Numerous outlets plus our own sources at TEAMtalk have confirmed informal talks with Alonso’s camp have been established in the event Liverpool do decide it’s game over for Slot.
That was followed by a cryptic clue from the editor of a national outlet that strongly hinted Alonso is on the way to Merseyside.
Speculative reports earlier on Thursday then stated Liverpool are ‘expected to part ways’ with Slot at season’s end amid growing fears there’s an irreparable disconnect between the players and manager.
But according to The Athletic’s James Pearce – who specialises in covering Liverpool – those hoping to see Slot turfed out of Anfield are out of luck.
Pearce insisted Liverpool’s hierarchy have ‘no plans’ to sack Slot and pointed to four reasons as to why.
The quartet of reasons are: 1) No breakdown in relations with senior executives. 2) Acknowledgement the mass squad changes have lead to a ‘transitional’ season. 3) Numerous key, long-term injuries. 4) Continued belief Slot can and will turn the season around.
Delving deeper into those four reasons, Pearce wrote: ‘They currently have no intention of following the lead of Man Utd, who dispensed with Ruben Amorim, or Chelsea, who parted company with Enzo Maresca.
‘Both teams have enjoyed an initial upturn in fortunes following the appointments of Michael Carrick and Liam Rosenior. However, in both cases, change was brought about by a breakdown in relations with club executives as well as results and performances.
‘At Liverpool, Slot’s bond with sporting director Richard Hughes remains strong. It was Hughes who led the search for Jurgen Klopp’s successor in 2024 and was convinced that Slot was the outstanding candidate to take over. That belief in his coaching acumen remains.
‘Unlike Amorim and Maresca, Slot is a Premier League title-winning boss. That buys you time and patience. There’s sympathy for everything that the Dutchman has had to contend with since the glory of last season sent expectation levels through the roof.
‘From the tragic loss of Diogo Jota to the sweeping changes to the squad that led to talk internally that this was always likely to be a transitional campaign, and the succession of injury setbacks.
Pearce added: ‘The Anfield hierarchy aren’t blind to the problems that have blighted performances and caused Slot’s side to be so inconsistent.
‘Questions are frequently asked about what could have been done differently. Even taking into account the hurdles placed in Liverpool’s way, no one would argue that having just 36 points after 23 league games is anything other than unacceptable.
‘Slot has certainly made mistakes. He hasn’t been able to impact matches as he did so often last season. But he’s still the same coach who previously hit such heights, and there’s faith internally that he will turn things around.
‘Their form in the Champions League, taking 18 points out of a possible 24, including the scalps of Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Inter, shows what this team is capable of.’
Want more breaking transfer lines from original sources? Add TEAMtalk as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust.
Latest Liverpool news – Centre-back hijack / Van Dijk, Robertson sales?
In other news, Liverpool are looking into a sensational centre-back hijack amid claims the player is ‘waiting’ for a call from the Reds, though the cost of doing business could make Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards wince.
Elsewhere, a transfer insider has revealed what Liverpool plan to do with Virgil van Dijk in the summer after the Dutchman began to show signs of decline throughout the current campaign.
Finally, Tottenham have been told they still have a significant chance of securing the signing of Andy Robertson this month amid strong claims the star remains keen to quit Liverpool with immediate effect.
Get the inside story first by joining our TEAMtalk Facebook channel to receive the latest breaking and exclusive news straight into your Messenger inbox.