Liverpool’s transfer window has seen far more talk of manager movement than of players.
Arne Slot continues to be put under the microscope, and every falter from the Reds causes the discontent to intensify.
Ahead of Liverpool’s Champions League tie against Qarabag, it was another strange comment.
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Slot said he’s finding it impossible to quiet the noise around him and his team.
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There’s a large cohort of ‘Slot out’ Liverpool fans, but the club’s hierarchy aren’t in that camp. As for Xabi Alonso, the stories might be wishful thinking more than fact.
James Pearce contradicts Xabi Alonso reports and reveals Liverpool stance
When it comes to insider knowledge at Liverpool, Pearce is usually bang-on with what FSG are thinking.
He has responded to claims that Liverpool have contacted Alonso over the role — a false assessment according to The Athletic’s main Liverpool correspondent.
Pearce says: “So, yeah, I don’t get the impression at the minute that despite the kind of all the noise and talk about reaching out to Alonso’s people, which I’m told is not true, I don’t get the impression that the patience is wearing thin internally.”
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Finding the truth in football can often be an unsavoury task, with even the most reputable of sources often contradicting one another.
Pearce’s take on the Alonso situation does, however, line up with the stance the club has been taking all season.
That is, to stick it out with Slot and hope for a turnaround.
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As mentioned, there is a divide in the fanbase when it comes to the current manager.
Slot doesn’t help himself sometimes, making claims that just rub fans the wrong way. He is a Premier League-winner, though, and there’s every chance with the squad he has of making a deep run in Europe.
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If he were to make it all the way, it’s hard to see Liverpool pulling the plug in the summer.
The problem with that — an unavoidable one — is that Alonso is possibly the hottest property on the manager market. He said he wanted a short break after Real Madrid, but it’s hard to see him not being in a job next season.
If Liverpool stick with Slot past the summer, it could be years before they have another chance to bring Alonso back to Anfield.
It all depends on how Liverpool perform between now and the end of the season, and more importantly, what they can achieve.
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