Report: Liverpool Make Contact with Xabi Alonso as Pressure Mounts on Arne Slot

- by Olatunji Johnson

Spaniard is “determined to return to Anfield,” say Spanish media, after a brutal late defeat deepens doubts about the current manager’s future.

Liverpool have reportedly opened contact with former midfield star Xabi Alonso about the managerial position, as pressure intensifies on current boss Arne Slot following a damaging defeat.

According to Spanish outlet AS, the club has made “positive” contact with the 44-year-old’s representatives. The report claims Alonso is now “determined to return to Anfield,” viewing the job as “appealing.” This comes after a dramatic 3-2 loss to Bournemouth, where a 95th-minute winner consigned Liverpool to a defeat that dropped them to sixth in the Premier League.

The loss has amplified questions about Slot’s future, just over a year after he led the club to the title. Alonso, who mutually agreed to leave his role as Real Madrid manager earlier this month, was a leading candidate to succeed Jürgen Klopp in 2024 before deciding to stay with Bayer Leverkusen at the time.

When asked about the Alonso speculation last week, Slot deflected with humor. “He called me, he asked, ‘What do you think about the team? Because I’m going to take over in six months,'” Slot joked at a press conference before asserting his commitment to the job. “I have been working here for a little bit more than one and a half years, and I really like my work over here.”

Despite Slot’s public stance, Alonso remains the strong bookmakers’ favorite to be the next permanent Liverpool manager, followed by Paris Saint-Germain’s Luis Enrique and Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner.

The reported move for Alonso signals potential turbulence at Anfield, as the club’s hierarchy appears to be weighing a major change in direction to salvage a season that is rapidly slipping away.

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