Insider names 'popular choice' to REPLACE Arne Slot

Arne Slot has been feeling the heat this season. The Liverpool head coach presided over a Premier League title win in his first season in charge.

Having joined the Reds from Feyenoord in summer 2024 the Dutchman clinched the top-flight crown at the end of the 2024/25 season.

But defending the trophy hasn’t been plain sailing. Liverpool have experienced several setbacks this term - including a run of six defeats in only seven Premier League matches earlier in the campaign.

Their troubles have come despite spending £450m on new players last summer but Slot has struggled to implement an effective strategy in order to maximise the talents at his disposal.

With the Anfield club standing next to no chance of regaining their Premier League title it’s been speculated that the club could make a decision on Arne Slot in the near future.

Arne Slot's difficult second season

The 47-year-old is only contracted to the club until 2027 - meaning Richard Hughes facing only a limited payout arrangement should he decided to dispense with the coach’s services.

Much will depend on how the Merseysiders fare for the rest of the season - in the domestic league as well as in the FA Cup and Champions League.

And should Liverpool come out badly then don’t be surprised if sporting director Hughes comes to the conclusion that Slot must walk.

James Pearce - Liverpool insider at The Athletic - has now dropped the name of the most likely candidate to replace Slot if he leaves.

Xabi Alonso's Madrid regime at an end

Xabi Alonso was Real Madrid’s coach until Monday evening when the decision was taken to remove him from his post.

It capped a tumultuous few months for the former Bayer Leverkusen coach - who was one of the hottest managerial properties over the last couple of years.

He was on the list of Liverpool to succeed Jurgen Klopp but could not at that stage be tempted to leave Germany.

But the former midfielder’s Madrid tenure has been short and unhappy - the latest Spanish capital side manager to suffer under the club’s notorious player-power regime.

James Pearce: Xabi Alonso is the popular choice

“Another alarming downturn in results would reignite the debate over Slot’s future — and, if a managerial change were to be made, Alonso would certainly be a popular choice among the fanbase,” the report reads.

Alonso spent five years as a Liverpool player - winning the Champions League and FA Cup among other honours - and would no doubt be welcomed back at Anfield.

He implemented a great style of play at B04 - winning the German league and cup double in an unbeaten 2023/24 season - and also got the best out of Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and others.

Slot has been warned; the recent revival must continue, the performances have got to improve otherwise Alonso is waiting in the wings.

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