Arne Slot sack: Journalist presents ‘mad’ scenario that could see Liverpool boss stay and Xabi Alonso SHUNNED | OneFootball

Two Grade A journalists have confirmed that Xabi Alonso will be a ‘serious contender’ for the Liverpool job if the club’s overlords, FSG, decide to sack Arne Slot, though a decision to end the Dutchman’s spell remains far from certain and confirms what TEAMtalk sources are saying about the Reds’ plans this summer.

Slot has presided over a miserable campaign. Going into the season as the reigning champions and with a vast £440m (€505m, $600m) outlay on new players, Liverpool were expected to push on from the Dutchman’s brilliant first season at the helm and potentially make a stronger fist at challenging for Champions League glory.

Instead, and with a miserable 13 defeats across all competitions, Liverpool find themselves a distant 21 points adrift of Arsenal in the title race – those hopes long since gone for the Reds  – but also hoping to recover a 1-0 deficit to Galatasaray in the Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday night.

However, it’s not just the results which have suffered a downturn; it’s the mundane and lacklustre performances that Liverpool are persistently churning out that has seen Slot’s position come under threat.

To that end, our sources have confirmed that FSG will review Slot’s future at the season’s end and, while no talks have yet taken place with Xabi Alonso, the Spaniard has made it clear he would be keen to take on the job.

Now, The Athletic’s Adam Crafton has backed up that theory on Alonso, underlining why the Reds are not yet certain on their next move.

“Clearly he is out there, I imagine he would probably take the job and I’m sure he would be a contender if they chose to let Slot go,” Crafton explained on The Athletic FC Podcast.

“But it is noticeable that there hasn’t been a spate of stories of uncertainty about Slot’s future…”

Crafton also thinks it would be hard for FSG to sack Slot if the team secures fifth place and another season in the Champions League, especially given his past successes.

“And I would say, to be fair, if you do win the league in your first season and then if you get yourself in the Champions League – even if it’s by hook or crook, finishing fifth – I do think you deserve another year to try and get yourself out of the little rut you’re in.

Obviously, if they were to miss out altogether, because that would mean sixth, it’s harder to make the argument.

“But I still think, the guy’s won the league, it’s kind of mad to think about someone being fired a year after winning the league – but I think that is also very possible.”

Xabi Alonso conundrum tied in with Richard Hughes future

To further complicate matters, Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes – recently linked with a move to Saudi Arabia this summer – and CEO of football, Michael Edwards, are, just like Slot, also on contracts that are due to expire in summer 2027.

While Slot’s future will be decided independently of the other two, The Athletic’s Simon Hughes believes any new manager, be that Alonso, would like to know who he is working for before signing up and with the Reds’ senior leadership team needing to decide on their footballing structure.

Hughes explained: “You’ve got three senior figures whose contracts are all running out at the same time.

“So where I’m a bit uncomfortable with it is, if Liverpool are enquiring or thinking about making a change about Slot – there isn’t that indication at the moment, certainly not publicly – any manager, any agent is going to want to know ‘are these guys hiring me, are they sticking for the long term as well?’.

“I think that needs to be cleared up pretty quickly by FSG, so it comes back to the owners very quickly. People want to know who they’re working for.

“They’ve allowed a situation where you’ve got three senior figures all out of contract in the same summer and no indication of what is going to happen with each of them at the moment.

“It’s all very well saying change the manager, but what’s going on with the people making those decisions?”

Will Liverpool sack Slot if they are eliminated by Galatasaray?

Despite reports suggesting Slot could be fired this week if Liverpool are eliminated by the Turkish champions at Anfield, we understand that won’t be the case, with the situation under review in the summer, and no sooner.

And while Hughes also backs up that stance, he admits the noise around the Dutchman will grow louder if they are eliminated on Wednesday evening.

“If Liverpool were to get knocked out there, he’s going to come under huge pressure. There is no doubt,” Hughes continued.

“Liverpool, when they drew Galatasaray, that was the tie that people wanted really.

“Unfortunately, it’s now become the tie that, even though they’re behind, they have to win it.

“It won’t even be framed as ‘a really good recovery by Liverpool after a difficult away leg’; it’s simply that there’s an expectation that Liverpool win this game.

“If they don’t get through it, I think the conversation will ramp up, online, conversations among journalists, there’ll be articles written, the scope of the articles will widen as well, about why Liverpool are in this position.

“Let’s face it, getting knocked out of the Champions League in the round of 16 by Galatasaray – who conceded goals left, right and centre in the group stages away from home – is unacceptable for a team which includes the level of ability of Liverpool.”

Liverpool latest: Richard Hughes exit truths revealed; Wolves ace targeted

Despite all that, Jamie Carragher is now more convinced than ever before that Slot will be sacked this summer, having explained the game and performance that will have shored up that decision in FSG’s minds and with two journalists also making their feelings clear on the state the club finds itself in.

Meanwhile, TEAMtalk have been given a major update on the shock news that broke on Tuesday about the future of Hughes, and with sources revealing what is really going on amid claims he could be set to join Al-Hilal.

On the transfer front, sources can reveal that Liverpool and Manchester United are ramping up their interest in a 25-year-old Wolves star who has been in excellent form of late, teeing up a transfer battle in the summer, and with historic quotes from the player potentially hinting at where he would like to move next.