Slot’s Liverpool future still ‘uncertain’ as Szoboszlai ‘not happy’ and teammate ‘unfairly singled out for criticism’ | OneFootball

‘A degree of uncertainty remains’ over the future of Arne Slot at Liverpool as a report has revealed Dominik Szoboszlai was ‘not happy’ with the Dutchman’s tactics this season while one of his teammates feels he was ‘unfairly singled out for criticism’.

After leading Liverpool to the Premier League title at a canter in his debut season at Anfield, Slot has overseen a dramatic slump this term which saw the Reds qualify for the Champions League on the final day on just 60 points, their lowest tally for a decade and 24 fewer than in 2024-25.

19 Premier League defeats was the most they’ve suffered since 1992/93 and 52 goals was the most they’ve ever conceded in a 38-game season. It was a disastrous campaign.

But one that reports have until now suggested won’t cost Slot his job as the Liverpool chiefs accept there is plenty of mitigation for the poor performances and results.

The £450m-worth of summer signings were tipped to take the Reds to the next level, but the time they’ve needed to bed in has been put forward as an excuse, as have the injury issues Slot has had to cope with for much of the campaign.

There was also the tragic passing of Diogo Jota to contend with, which took an understandable toll on the players.

“What we went through last summer, I hope no other team will ever go through,” Andy Robertson told reporters last week. “Football didn’t matter. We didn’t care about football for weeks. None of us wanted to train. That was the reality.”

After Liverpool’s 4-2 defeat to Aston Villa in their penultimate game of the season, Slot said he had “every reason to believe” he would stay on as Reds boss.

Slot said: “I don’t think I am deciding that alone by myself but I have every reason to believe I am the Liverpool manager next season.

“First of all, I am contracted to this club and second of all from all the talks we are having. That is my take on it.

“If you don’t have the best season, especially if you compare with last season – if you compare it with other seasons you might have a different debate, but if you compare it with last season – this has definitely not been a great season, then it is also normal that criticism comes.

“We have all had our share, and with all I mean the players have had their share, the manager has had their share and other people in the club have had their share. That is how things work nowadays if you don’t win the league.”

Slot future still ‘uncertain’

But a report from The Athletic detailing Liverpool’s turbulent season has revealed that doubts over his future remain as ‘there’s much for the hierarchy to ponder after such a torrid campaign’.

It’s claimed that the arrival of Etienne Reijnen is ‘expected’ to join Slot’s backroom staff from Feyenoord after he was denied a work permit to complete the move two years ago.

His arrival would ‘effectively confirm Slot is staying put’ but until that’s confirmed ‘a degree of uncertainty remains’ over the manager’s future at the club as it’s claimed several Liverpool stars weren’t pleased with their specific roles last season.

Dominik Szoboszlai ‘wasn’t happy about having to fill in at right-back’, Curtis Jones ‘was frustrated that he didn’t get the extended run of games in midfield that he craved’ and Alexis Mac Allister ‘felt that he had been unfairly singled out for criticism’.

A wider group of Reds players were ‘angered’ by suggestions on social media that they had ‘too much time off and didn’t train enough’ when the schedule was the same as it was the season before when they won the title. They believed, like Slot, that the issue wasn’t their match fitness but the injuries which forced available players to play more regularly.

“You had all these tricky individual situations with the collective issues on top,” a dressing-room source told The Athletic. “There was so much negativity, so much adversity and it’s been too much for a lot of players. How many times did we get back into games and then throw it away?  It’s been blow after blow.”

“It’s been draining from start to finish,” another senior club source added. “There’s just relief for all involved that it’s over.”