HUGE Arne Slot sack bombshell erupts in the Netherlands amid ‘final months’ Liverpool claim | OneFootball

Liverpool bosses may already have decided Arne Slot’s fate this summer after pundits in his native Netherlands let slip FSG’s plans for the summer and amid claims his likely successor Xabi Alonso has already picked out five Reds stars for the Anfield axe.

The Reds’ title defence has not gone to plan, and the 14-point chasm to table-topping Arsenal has piled the pressure on the Liverpool boss. Worse yet, off the back of a £440m (€505m, $600m) summer spree, the fact that any realistic hopes of retaining the title are over before the turn of the year has led to strong calls for Slot to lose his job.

While just two wins in their last seven matches illustrate exactly where Liverpool are at, we understand that any sacking of Slot midway through the season does look unlikely, unless their situation gets significantly worse.

However, as our correspondent Fraser Fletcher revealed last week, FSG have frozen talks over a contract extension with Slot, while those in charge have already initiated contact with Alonso over the prospect of taking charge.

Now, a respected journalist in Slot’s native Netherlands has let slip what the Reds plan to do and having dropped a bombshell suggestion that a decision to remove Slot from his role this summer has already been made.

And Valentijn Driessen, as quoted by Soccernews, reckons Slot’s situation at Liverpool strongly resembles Louis van Gaal at Manchester United 10 years ago.

“In December 2015, rumours circulated that Jose Mourinho would succeed Louis van Gaal at Manchester United in the summer of 2016. Van Gaal laughed it off, didn’t believe it, and spoke of fantasists who wanted to make his life miserable.

“Then, in May 2016, on the day he won the FA Cup with Manchester United, a completely stunned Van Gaal was summarily dismissed. Shortly after, Mourinho stepped in as his replacement, having been hired six months earlier.

“Only with results in the Premier League and Champions League can Slot perhaps survive or silence the rumours about Alonso. But it’s also possible that the Liverpool management has already made a decision and Slot is in his final months.”

Next Liverpool manager: Xabi Alonso ready to ring the changes

Slot’s recently acted with scorn when asked if he feared Alonso stepping into his shoes at Anfield, angrily clapping back at the journalist who asked the question.

In light of that response, Driessen has fired a dig at Slot, insisting the boot was on the other foot when he was strongly linked with various Premier League moves while Feyenoord boss.

“It’s as if Slot had never been asked about the rumours before. When he was linked with Tottenham Hotspur at Feyenoord and later Liverpool. Back then, he didn’t find questions about it strange. It actually flattered his ego.”

With Alonso now the heavy favourite to succeed Slot at Anfield, an ambitious report on Tuesday revealed the Spaniard had already held talks over what his squad could look like next season.

And it has been claimed that Alonso has outlined bold plans to sign four world-class stars this summer, while five big-name Reds stars will be told to pack their bags.

Per the report, Alonso wants to bring in Micky van de Ven, Adam Wharton, Bradley Barcola and Michael Olise in another stunning Anfield overhaul and with three shock exits among five departures also listed.

Latest Liverpool transfer news: Wharton links cooled; Robertson exit tease

Meanwhile, a journalist has cooled speculation Liverpool are on the cusp of signing Wharton from Crystal Palace, while also providing the latest on a stunning potential move for Aston Villa talisman Morgan Rogers.

The Merseysiders have a long-standing interest in the Crystal Palace midfielder, and while our sources can confirm the Reds’ interest, we understand Manchester United are leading the chase.

Elsewhere, Slot has teased Tottenham Hotspur with an update on the future of Andy Robertson, seemingly backing up our claim that the move is not entirely dead just yet, despite the expectation that the Scotland captain will stay.

And finally, Liverpool have received a loan approach for a player who doesn’t have a long-term future at Anfield, though why the enquiry stands virtually no chance of succeeding has been revealed.