Pressure continues to mount as candidates have already been drawn as to who could replace Arne Slot if he were to leave the club following a troublesome 2025/26 season.
However, when Arne Slot took over from Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool’s manager in June 2024, few expected what was to come in his first season.
An impressive Premier League title win by 10 points surprised almost everyone in football. After a limited transfer window, Slot took Liverpool from third place to Premier League winners.
A year ago, conversations about Liverpool finding someone to replace Arne Slot would have been ridiculous. However, the Reds now find themselves in a different predicament.
Liverpool have not looked anything like the team that won the Premier League title the previous year, and many fans want to replace Arne Slot with a new manager.
Although many say the signs of this decline appeared halfway through last season, regardless of their emphatic title win.
As many Liverpool fans have grown tired of the lacklustre displays from their side and their manager’s excuses after games, many seem ready for the club to find a new manager to replace Arne Slot.
There are some names that fans would like. Here, we take a look at three realistic potential managers to replace Arne Slot as Liverpool’s next manager.
Xabi Alonso: A Natural Candidate To Replace Arne Slot
Xabi Alonso has been linked with a return to Liverpool in recent seasons.
After leading Bayer Leverkusen to a Bundesliga title while going the whole season unbeaten, big clubs were on alert, including the Reds.
Despite this, Xabi Alonso decided to stay at Bayer Leverkusen for another season. Although he didn’t win the league in his second year, this didn’t deter Real Madrid.
Alonso became Real Madrid manager in the summer of 2025; however, his stint in charge didn’t last long as he left the club by mutual consent in January.
Xabi Alonso’s style of play includes high pressing and fluid movement when attacking. This type of football fits how Liverpool wants to play.
His style of play, especially at Leverkusen, focuses on central play. His teams show a desire to attack through these central areas and progress quickly through defensive lines.
Liverpool struggles with finding spaces between the lines and breaking down low blocks. Xabi Alonso’s style could provide a solution to this issue that Liverpool has not been able to address.
Luis Enrique: An Elite Candidate To Replace Arne Slot
Luis Enrique is a big name in the world of football managers, and an incredible name who is a candidate to replace Arne Slot. The former manager of Barcelona and Spain is an elite option.
Currently at Paris Saint-Germain, the Spaniard has led the Parisian club to their first Champions League title, and this adds to the Champions League winners’ medal he earned while managing Barcelona in the 2014/15 season.
Luis Enrique is a demanding coach who expects the highest standards from his players. The press is high, and his teams harass the opposition to stop them playing out from the back.
The attacking play is sharp and fluid, with attacking players interchanging positions and causing difficulties for opposition defences. When you watch a Luis Enrique team, you know it is a Luis Enrique team.
Luis Enrique’s teams have a clear identity, something Liverpool are currently missing. The Reds look devoid of ideas, and their play is slow and predictable. Enrique could transform Liverpool back into what they expect to be: challenging for the biggest titles.
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Jurgen Klopp: The Return Of The “Normal One”?
When Jurgen Klopp announced he would be leaving Liverpool in January 2024, fans were devastated.
The most successful Liverpool manager in recent times was loved by supporters and players alike.
He guided the club to their first Premier League title and delivered their sixth Champions League triumph, creating some of the most memorable moments in the club’s modern history.
Klopp’s Liverpool sides were feared throughout Europe. The relentless pressing and attacking football he famously described as “heavy metal football” made them one of the most exciting teams to watch. Many opponents struggled to cope with the intensity and energy that defined Liverpool during this period.
One of Klopp’s key tactical principles was counter-pressing. When Liverpool lost possession, the players reacted immediately to win the ball back. Opponents attempting to attack would often leave spaces open, and Liverpool’s aggressive pressing allowed them to regain possession and exploit those spaces quickly.
That intensity is something Liverpool appear to have lost. A return for Klopp could restore the energy and identity that once made them so dangerous.
While a comeback would be the most unlikely option, few could argue that Jurgen Klopp would still be the most popular choice among supporters if the club decided to replace Arne Slot.
Can Arne Slot Still Save His Job?
Despite many names being linked with the Liverpool job as a result of the growing concerns over Arne Slot’s future, he could still get his Liverpool career back on track and save his position.
This would take a lot, however, as fans are growing frustrated with the team’s style of play and an overly disappointing season. Many suggest Arne Slot’s style of play is undoing Jurgen Klopp’s years of building.
Liverpool are still in the Champions League, and winning this competition would silence the critics and help Slot keep his job. On top of this, a top-four finish and an FA Cup to play for could strengthen his case if they achieve success in both competitions.
Arne Slot may be running out of time as he needs to deliver success in the time that remains this season if he is to change the fanbase’s opinion and bring them back onside.
If he cannot deliver success and it proves detrimental to his time as Liverpool manager, there are three major options that Liverpool could replace Arne Slot with.
Main Photo
Credit: IMAGO / Sportimage
Recording Date: 06.03.2026
