Liverpool risk falling into Man Utd trap if they turn to former star to replace Arne Slot

Arne Slot’s Liverpool are unbeaten in 11 games in all competitions – but might this now be the first time that the Dutchman is seriously looking over his shoulder?

Slot enjoyed a fairytale first season at Anfield, guiding Liverpool to their second Premier League title in emphatic fashion.

But a terrible run of form during the autumn, which yielded just one league win in seven matches, saw their title defence go up in flames and almost cost Slot his job.

To his credit, the 47-year-old has steadied the ship since then, guiding his side back into the top four despite a slew of injuries and a public falling out with star player Mohamed Salah.

However, the incumbent Liverpool boss might now have to deal with fresh speculation over his long-term future at the helm in the wake of Xabi Alonso’s departure from Real Madrid on Monday.

The Spaniard lasted just seven months at Real, relieved from his duties after a Spanish Super Cup final defeat to Barcelona, despite his side sitting second in La Liga and inside the Champions League top eight.

Alonso’s failed stint in the Spanish capital is far from his fault alone. He certainly won’t be the last promising player or coach to be chewed up and spat out by Florentino Perez and the Madridista machine.

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Despite his swift dismissal, early reports suggest that several top European clubs have already had their ears pricked up by Alonso’s sudden availability.

His impressive spell at Bayer Leverkusen, which saw the German side go unbeaten to win their first-ever Bundesliga title in 2024, saw Liverpool make a move for Alonso, courting the Spaniard as a potential successor to Jurgen Klopp after his surprise exit.

Alonso ultimately turned down the role, wanting to continue his development in Germany, but that answer might be different now if Liverpool were to come calling again as reports suggest they might.

‘Xabi had a clause in his contract at Leverkusen that he could talk to a lot of his old, ex-teams, that he played for – and Manchester City,’ former Red Steve McManaman said on TNT Sports.

‘That was public knowledge. So there must be a desire for him, in his mind, that he would like to manage here.’

‘Liverpool will only get one chance to appoint Alonso’

Fast-tracking Alonso’s return to Anfield, where he spent five successful seasons as a player, may be alluring for the club’s senior officials, but it’s a move that clearly comes with its risks.

Alonso’s hypothetical arrival at Liverpool would see him reunited with two former Leverkusen players – Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz – but there is no guarantee the Spaniard would replicate the successes he had in Germany.

The Liverpool job is not quite the pressure-cooker environment which Alonso endured at Real, but it’s also fair to question whether his time at the Bernabeu was indicative of a young manager who might not yet be ready for the biggest managerial posts in European club football.

And despite their eye-watering spending in the summer, Liverpool’s squad is still far from the finished article, particularly at the back.

Ibrahima Konate looks set to leave when his contract expires in the summer, while Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez will both have just 12 months left on their respective deals come the end of this season.

Perhaps, therefore, restocking their defensive options might be the sensible priority instead of a change at the helm.

There may be an emotional tie which draws Liverpool towards Alonso, but those on Merseyside only need to look at their arch rivals, Manchester United, to see how an obsession with nostalgia can lock a club in a perpetual cycle of paralysis.

Michael Carrick currently looks set to replace Ruben Amorim as the Red Devils’ interim boss. That’s the same Carrick let go by Middlesbrough over the summer, having failed to achieve promotion from the Championship after nearly three full seasons in charge.

Alonso’s managerial CV is certainly more impressive than that of Carrick, but his ties to Liverpool should not be the reason alone to rush him into the role this early in his career.

Frank Lampard’s stint at Chelsea is a cautionary tale in that regard, and the Englishman has now had to drop down to the Championship to rebuild his managerial stock after being thrown the keys to Stamford Bridge far too early in his coaching journey.

Similarly, the clamour for Steven Gerrard to be Liverpool’s next great manager felt like a suffocating burden on the former Reds captain during his spells at Rangers and Aston Villa. Nobody is seriously considering him as Slot’s potential successor at this point.

Alonso could well get the job, deliver on his talent, and become as great a manager for Liverpool as he was a player.

But the Reds will only get one chance to appoint Alonso, and at this stage of his career, and after falling short of expectations at Madrid, perhaps the head should win out over the heart.

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