No 1 Xabi Alonso news source claims Liverpool move is ON with Arne Slot told when ‘he’ll be gone by’ | OneFootball

Speculation that Liverpool will sack Arne Slot and plan to appoint Xabi Alonso as his successor this summer continues to divide the media, with a respected German journalist claiming his appointment is already been approved, but with David Ornstein one of two English counterparts arguing otherwise.

The Dutchman is under massive pressure after a seriously underwhelming season at Anfield. Crowned champions at a canter during Slot‘s first season at the helm, licence to spend some £440m (€505m, $600m) on a raft of new players has sent the club backwards – and Liverpool currently sit an unacceptable 21 points adrift of title-chasing Arsenal.

That has left Slot’s future as Liverpool manager hanging by a thread. After coming close to the sack after a shocking run of nine defeats in 12 games over the autumn, the 47-year-old has battled on, but off a season that has yielded 10 Premier League defeats  – their most in a decade – the pressure very much remains on.

Indeed, our reporter Graeme Bailey revealed earlier this month that, with Alonso open to a return to Anfield and willing to step into Slot’s shoes, Slot has become irked by the long shadow being cast over Anfield by the Spaniard.

And with a review into Slot’s future due to be held at season’s end, BILD reporter Axel Hesse, long regarded as the most reliable source of news for Alonso since his days at Leverkusen, has now claimed an agreement for the 44-year-old is done.

He claims that Slot will be gone ‘no later than the summer’ and that Alonso, long seen as the dream successor to Jurgen Klopp anyway, has always been in their mind to take charge, with only his reluctance to take charge mid-season preventing the axe from falling on the Dutchman sooner.

Once the season ends, Hesse claims Alonso is ‘ready for Liverpool’, and, after noting Michael Edwards’ desires to appoint him back in 2024 when it emerged that Klopp was leaving, he says that contact has never been lost and that Alonso is ready to say yes to a concrete offer.

Ornstein, Steele offer different take on Alonso, Slot

Despite Hesse’s very strong connections, it is perhaps too early to claim the decision to remove Slot from his role is a foregone conclusion.

In fact, Ornstein has already suggested this week that the club’s overlords, FSG, plan to stick by the Dutchman.

On<The Athletic FC podcast, Ornstein said: “All our information, despite reports to the contrary, is that Liverpool are sticking with Arne Slot.

“There’s no thought to changing coach. They are planning with him and their priority is to give him the profile of squad to succeed.”

Making his point clear, Ornstein continued: “I’m not here to defend Arne Slot. Liverpool’s season has been poor by their standards, their performances, their results and he is at the centre of that. But if you look at the range of factors on and off the pitch, it’s remarkable, and I’m not surprised that Liverpool want to give him longer.”

Lewis Steele, the Daily Mail‘s Liverpool correspondent, has also moved to deny talk that Alonso is going to Liverpool.

“It is not true that Alonso has agreed to join Liverpool,” he said, before adding: “The club are backing Slot – for now at least – though many Premier League sides will know it might be this summer or never with the Basque coach, who will surely be snapped up over the coming months.”

As much as FSG will want Slot to prove people wrong, the noise may eventually prove too much to ignore, and a change could be needed to get fans back on board and if they miss out on a top-five finish.

Former Premier League manager Tim Sherwood agrees and said: “I think if Liverpool finish outside the Champions League places this season, they will sack Arne Slot. He’s trying to stamp his game plan on things, but it’s just not working.

“Liverpool fans at Anfield never boo their players – the fans have a massive voice in this. I believe it will get so toxic that they will have to get rid of him.

“They’ll give him until the end of the season, no matter how bad it gets – Liverpool very rarely sack managers during the season.

“It’s been such a bad title defence from them, especially considering how much money they spent last summer. Everyone thought they’d walk the league, but it hasn’t happened at all.”

Latest Liverpool news: Double winger hunt; Kvaratskhelia blow

Meanwhile, Liverpool are likely to attempt to sign TWO wingers in the summer transfer window, with a new central creative attacker also being considered, it has been claimed – but Bayern Munich chief Uli Hoeness has ruled out Michael Olise leaving for Anfield.

At the same time, seven potential targets for the Reds have been identified.

However, the quest to replace Salah with a world-class star will be no mean task for the Reds, and now our sources have revealed how the agent of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has made it clear that the star has no intentions of quitting PSG, delivering in the process a FOURTH winger snub for the Reds already.

And finally, YouTuber Mark Goldbridge has paid an unexpected tribute to Salah but insisted that Liverpool will now improve as a team without the Egypt international.