After Xabi Alonso announced to the world that he will be remaining at Bayer Leverkusen for another season, thus snubbing interest from Liverpool and Bayern Munich, speculation has been pouring in regarding the Anfield managerial seat.
Jurgen Klopp, the beloved gaffer who has been at the helm of the Reds for nearly nine years, announced that he will be departing at the end of the current season, meaning a successor is needed in Merseyside desperately.
But with Alonso off the table and highly-rated Sporting CP tactician Rubin Amorim no longer an option, many began wondering who Liverpool would target next. According to reports out of the UK, namely the Times and the Guardian, the Premier League giants have their eyes set on one man.
That boss is Arne Slot, the current head coach of the Dutch side Feyenoord. The 45-year-old tactician is said to have emerged as a leading candidate in Fenway Sports Group's new chief executive officer of football Michael Edwards' recruitment process.
Slot has garnered attention from Europe's big clubs since replacing Dick Advocaat at Feyenoord in 2021 and was even in the running for the Tottenham job last summer before Spurs ultimately appointed Ange Postecoglou.
The Dutchman led the Rotterdam-based club, who are currently second in the Eredivisie, to the UEFA Europa Conference League final in his first year in charge before losing to Mourinho's Roma. Last season, Slot guided De Trots van Zuid to the Dutch top-flight title before leading his side to the 2023-24 KNVB Cup trophy over the weekend.
Furthermore, Slot has done all of this on a budget, a trait which should appeal to the Liverpool owners in an era where the spending power of Manchester City, Chelsea, and potentially Newcastle has competitors worried.
However, nothing is done. Slot is under contract at Feyenoord until 2026 and the 45-year-old is also garnering interest from fellow continental powerhouses Bayern Munich, Barcelona, and AC Milan — current Rossoneri boss Stefano Pioli is expected to depart at the end of the season.