‘Livid’ FSG accelerate Arne Slot sack as ‘secret’ Liverpool, Xabi Alonso talks leaked – stunning report | OneFootball

Liverpool are edging closer to sacking Arne Slot and hiring Xabi Alonso as their new head coach, with a shock report claiming definitive action is being taken.

Slot subverted expectations when he steered Liverpool to the Premier League title during his first season in charge, successfully building on the blueprint laid out by club icon Jurgen Klopp. The Reds backed Slot with over £440million (€505m, $600m) of spending last summer, breaking their transfer record twice – first on Florian Wirtz, then again on Alexander Isak.

But it has been a disappointing season for Liverpool, as they sit sixth in the Premier League, three points off the top four.

Slot’s side remain in the FA Cup, though they were knocked out of the League Cup, and must also overcome a 1-0 deficit in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie with Galatasaray. It’s likely that last season’s conquerors, PSG, will lie in wait in the quarter-finals anyway, making it a tough route through to the last four for Slot and Co.

That downturn in fortune has heaped the pressure on Slot. Not only have results been poor, but performances have been noticeably lacklustre. Liverpool’s lack of attacking impetus has been alarming, particularly when they have players such as Wirtz, Mohamed Salah and Hugo Ekitike in their team.

Their 1-0 defeat at Galatasaray on Tuesday has heaped more pressure on Slot yet. According to a team of ‘five elite reporters’ with over 700,00 followers on social media, Liverpool’s owners, Fenway Sports Group (FSG), are ‘absolutely livid’ and ‘ready to explode’.

The team’s ‘nightmare performances’ under Slot have supposedly seen FSG urge sporting director Richard Hughes to appoint Alonso as a replacement for the Dutchman.

Their sources claim that Liverpool chiefs have ‘already held secret crisis talks with Alonso and his family’.

While such claims have yet to be backed up by other outlets, we confirmed on March 5 that Slot has entered a ‘defining period’ for his future.

FSG are set to hold an end-of-season review to gauge whether Slot is the right man to take the club forward. Failure to qualify for the Champions League or win silverware could see the 47-year-old get sacked.

Alonso casts shadow over Slot

However, we can confirm that Alonso’s availability – following his sacking by Real Madrid – is casting a big shadow over Slot’s future.

Key figures at Anfield are split over whether to stick with Slot or usher in a new era under Alonso, who would immediately command the love and respect of supporters.

We understand that some FSG officials feel Alonso would be a better fit and would help to improve players, particularly his former Bayer Leverkusen duo, Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong.

The fact Alonso is a free agent may suggest why Slot has been acting so coy in the media in recent weeks.

It seems Slot has a matter of months to save his job, as a disappointing end to the campaign would surely see Liverpool swoop for their former midfielder Alonso.

More on Liverpool: World-class forward linked; Alisson exit latest

Meanwhile, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed two concrete transfer options for Alisson as the Liverpool goalkeeper weighs up his future.

Madrid have reportedly put a top-class star up for sale at €100m (£86m / $116m), and it could see Liverpool finally complete a dream transfer.

Klopp has been linked with a sensational return to Anfield, but the latest speculation suggests he will instead secure a job that could benefit Manchester United.