Report: A new name could be in the mix to replace Arne Slot at Liverpool | OneFootball

De Zerbi Emerges as Shock Liverpool Option Amid Tottenham Interest

There is a moment in every faltering season when numbers stop being statistics and start becoming evidence. Liverpool have reached that point.

After 31 Premier League matches, the contrast with last season is stark. A campaign that once surged with authority has given way to inconsistency and defensive fragility. The drop from 71 points to 49 is not just a dip; it is a shift in identity. From leaders to fifth place, from 22 wins to 14, and with losses climbing from four to ten, the trajectory is unmistakable.

Goals, once Liverpool’s currency, have dried up. At this stage last term, they had struck 70 times. Now they sit on 50. More concerning still is the erosion at the back: 42 goals conceded already, compared to 28 a year ago, with clean sheets reduced from 12 to just five.

Under Arne Slot, there remains a framework of promise, but the metrics show regression. A fall in win rate from 69% to 55% and a drop in points per game underline a side that has lost its defensive assurance. Set-pieces, previously a strength, have become a vulnerability, with nine goals conceded from such situations by mid-February.

These are not marginal declines. They are structural concerns, and they are why speculation has begun to surface.

Photo: IMAGO

De Zerbi linked as Liverpool alternative

Against this backdrop, a new name has entered the conversation. According to the original source, a report from The Telegraph has suggested that Roberto de Zerbi “could yet emerge as a contender for the Manchester United and Liverpool jobs, if Arne Slot leaves Anfield.”

It is a line that carries weight, not because it confirms change, but because it acknowledges uncertainty.

De Zerbi’s reputation in English football was forged during his time at Brighton, where his tactical clarity and commitment to progressive football drew widespread admiration. His teams pressed with intelligence, built from the back with courage, and attacked with fluidity.

Currently without a club following his departure from Marseille earlier this year, he represents a manager at an intriguing crossroads: available, proven in the Premier League, and still evolving.

For Liverpool, the appeal would be philosophical as much as practical. De Zerbi’s approach aligns with modern attacking principles, yet his sides have also shown defensive organisation when properly balanced. In a season where Liverpool’s structure has wavered, that balance would be essential.

Tottenham interest complicates scenario

Liverpool are not alone in monitoring the situation. Tottenham are also firmly in the frame.

The same report indicates that De Zerbi has already held talks with Spurs and is “believed to be open to taking the permanent Tottenham Hotspur head coach job should the club stay in the Premier League.”

That caveat is significant. Tottenham’s immediate future remains uncertain, and their league position will dictate the attractiveness of the role. However, their interest signals that De Zerbi is viewed as a credible solution by multiple elite clubs.

For Tottenham, the appeal lies in identity. A side searching for consistency and direction could benefit from De Zerbi’s clearly defined style. For Liverpool, the calculation is more nuanced: whether evolution under Slot is still viable, or whether a reset is required.

Season context shapes Liverpool future decisions

It is important to stress that no decision has been made. This is not a club in crisis, but one in reassessment.

There are still positives. Liverpool’s Champions League form remains strong, with seven wins from nine matches, suggesting that the squad retains quality and resilience on the European stage. Yet domestic form cannot be ignored, particularly when defensive issues have persisted across the campaign.

What happens next will depend on how Liverpool finish the season. A strong run could restore confidence in the current project. Continued inconsistency, however, will only intensify scrutiny.

De Zerbi’s name entering the discussion is less about inevitability and more about possibility. It reflects a broader reality in modern football: that even stable projects are subject to rapid recalibration when performance drops.

For now, Liverpool remain in a position of watchful evaluation. But as the numbers continue to tell their story, the conversation around the dugout will only grow louder.