Report: Arne Slot linked with head coach role as Liverpool future hangs in the balance | OneFootball

Arne Slot Linked with Potential New Head Coach Role

Arne Slot’s tenure at Liverpool began with the sort of authority that quickly reset expectations at Anfield. Appointed ahead of the 2024/25 season, the Dutch coach delivered the Premier League title at the first attempt, validating the club’s decision to hand him the reins after Jurgen Klopp’s departure in May 2024. For a club that prides itself on long term planning, the early return under Slot suggested a cycle of sustained success.

Early Triumph Raised Expectations

Liverpool’s recruitment drive, led by sporting director Richard Hughes, brought in a wave of talent valued at around £450 million during that title winning campaign. The belief across Merseyside was that the squad refresh would power the side through multiple seasons of domestic and European contention.

Reality has been more complicated. Injuries have disrupted continuity, while integrating several high profile arrivals has required time that elite football rarely grants. The result has been a stuttering run of form through early 2026. Following defeat to Manchester City on Sunday, the champions have managed only one win from seven league matches this calendar year.

With Arsenal and City pulling clear, Champions League qualification has become the immediate objective. Liverpool’s ownership group is expected to maintain its support for Slot through to the summer, yet his contract runs until 2027 and football’s timelines tend to move quickly when targets are missed.

Photo: IMAGO

Pressure Points Around Anfield

There is growing noise around possible alternatives should results fail to improve, with Xabi Alonso frequently mentioned by supporters and commentators alike. None of that changes the current reality, Slot remains Liverpool’s manager and retains the backing required to navigate the remainder of the campaign.

Even so, the discussion has opened the door to questions about what might come next if the partnership between club and coach were to reach a natural conclusion. That context has placed the spotlight on opportunities beyond club football.

Netherlands Job Emerges as Possible Path

Reports in the Netherlands suggest that the national team role could soon become available once the upcoming FIFA World Cup cycle concludes. Ronald Koeman’s deal is set to expire after the tournament, and other prominent Dutch coaches, including Peter Bosz and Erik ten Hag, are said to have ruled themselves out of contention.

In that scenario, Arne Slot’s name has surfaced as a credible candidate who would already be familiar with many Netherlands internationals, some of whom he currently manages at Liverpool. The idea carries a certain logic given his track record of developing structured, progressive sides.

“Slot might be interested,” the report reads. “[He] was once asked if he ever saw himself as the national coach of the Dutch national team.

“At a certain age, I could imagine it being desirable not to be on the pitch every day. You could go to Ibiza more often,” he is reported to have said.

“Or play golf. Or paddle tennis.”

Those comments, delivered with a touch of humour, underline that international management could appeal at a different stage of his career.