Liverpool fans already know their ideal Arne Slot replacement

Liverpool seemed to have been turning the corner with a string of positive results, but they were sent crashing down to earth by Rob Edwards’s suddenly dangerous Wolves sides, leading to the same old questions about Arne Slot being asked by Kopites.

When Liverpool hired Slot, they did so over former center midfielder Xabi Alonso, who had just won the Bundesliga with a fairytale, undefeated season at Bayer Leverkusen – previously nicknamed “Neverkusen” for their inability to win the big one – to break up Bayern Munich’s historic hegemony.

But the Reds did not regret their decision, dominating the Premier League in 2024/25 in Slot’s first season filling the massive shoes of Jurgen Klopp. Meanwhile, Alonso joined Real Madrid this past summer and was fired in months, unable to handle the egos and the pressure of a Madrid side that did not take warmly to his ideas – or really even give them a chance.

Now, Liverpool fans are dreaming of Alonso in their dugout, souring on Slot. His management has been atrocious this season, and while Liverpool’s busy summer of spending should have helped their Dutch manager, it may have belied serious issues brewing in the squad, including Mohamed Salah’s abrupt decline.

Liverpool are in need of a bit of a retool, but Slot has so far shown that he is not the right guy to lead it. His ideas are stale, players are regressing under his leadership, he plays favorites, and his subs are among the worst in the Premier League.

Alonso has the pedigree, the previous playing experience, the success at Leverkusen, and the humbling of coaching Real Madrid. If there is an ideal successor to Slot, then it is he.