Liverpool ‘hold talks’ with elite former Prem midfielder as new candidate to replace Arne Slot | OneFootball

Liverpool have reportedly ‘held initial talks’ with a former Premier League midfielder – not Xabi Alonso – to potentially take over from Arne Slot.

Slot faces potential danger at Liverpool. He has credit in the bank after winning the Premier League in his first season in charge, but that won’t be in endless supply if his side continues to labour in mid table – currently 10th.

There have been suggestions that the manager could be sacked if things worsen, and contingency plans seem to be in the works.

The man who many felt would take the Liverpool job before Slot got it, now-Real Madrid boss Alonso, is supposedly going to be approached if he leaves the La Liga club, but new information suggests one of his former team-mates has been approached.

Anfield Index reports Liverpool have ‘held initial talks’ with Cesc Fabregas as a potential Slot replacement. Senior Anfield figures are said to be impressed with his progress at Como.

Fabregas and Alonso played alongside one another 54 times as players for Spain, winning the World Cup together.

Their starts as managers have also followed similar paths.

Alonso is a few years further on now, but had almost instant success with Bayer Leverkusen, making a jump from sixth in his first season to champions in the next, before eventually taking the Real Madrid job.

Fabregas’ Como were only promoted to the Serie A in 2024/25, where Fabregas led them to 10th, and they are now in sixth.

Both managers have great credentials, though Fabregas feels most likely to accept an offer if it were to be made right now, as Liverpool are a rung further up the latter than Como, while Alonso’s Real are of very similar stature.

Liverpool fans are more likely to want Alonso, having played for the club, though with both men having had success in England – Fabregas is the third-top assister of all time – they’ll be happy in the knowledge that either should be good additions to the club.

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There could be a question of how well Fabregas would fit, though. Liverpool have been good on the attack this season but have shipped a lot of goals, and the Spanish boss refused to change tack after his side were beaten 4-0 by Inter Milan of late.

He said: “You can approach the game defending with a 6-3-1 formation, or 5-4-1, but I prefer to lose even with this result than do that.”

Liverpool might well have the same problems they’re having under Slot if they hired Fabregas.