Arne Slot, Xabi Alonso and Liverpool’s Familiar Noise of Uncertainty
At Liverpool, certainty rarely lasts long. Stability is always provisional, success temporary, and even triumph is treated as something to be audited rather than enjoyed. That is why, despite winning the Premier League title last season, Arne Slot finds himself answering questions not about what comes next, but about who might replace him.
The latest name circulating is Xabi Alonso, a figure whose connection to Anfield ensures any rumour carries emotional weight. As reported by TEAMtalk, the suggestion that Liverpool’s owners, Fenway Sports Group, are preparing to move on from Slot has gathered traction across parts of the football media. Slot, though, has chosen to meet it with humour, candour and an unmistakable note of disbelief.
Noise surrounding succession and speculation
Asked directly whether Alonso was being lined up to take over at Anfield, Slot responded with a touch of irony. “Yes, he called me and said: ‘What do you think about the team because I am going to take over in six months, can you tell me a little bit more?’” he said, before adding, “Or maybe earlier. Maybe he takes over tomorrow!… No, no, no. This is one of the weirdest questions I ever got.”
It was a response that underlined both the absurdity Slot feels surrounds the conversation and how normalised such speculation has become at elite clubs. Liverpool, even by modern standards, remain particularly vulnerable to this cycle. The shadow of the past looms large, and anyone following a transformational figure is granted little time to exist as themselves.
Slot, who arrived tasked with reshaping Liverpool after a period of emotional upheaval, made it clear that he is not operating with one eye on the exit. “I am working here for a little bit more than one and a half years, and I really like my work over here,” he said. “We won the league last season, struggled more in the league this season. That is also obvious, so yes what is there left to say?”
FSG position and Liverpool’s longer view
According to reporting from The Athletic, relayed in the original TEAMtalk piece, Liverpool’s owners are not currently planning to make a change. FSG, it is understood, remain reluctant to follow the cycle of mid-season managerial upheaval that has become commonplace elsewhere in the Premier League.
That context matters. Liverpool’s recent history suggests an organisation that prefers continuity, even when pressure mounts. Slot’s tenure has already delivered a league title, and while this season has proven more uneven, it has also unfolded amid transition, tactical recalibration and squad evolution.
Yet Liverpool also plan for contingencies. Sources cited by TEAMtalk indicate that Alonso remains admired within the club’s hierarchy, a reflection of both his managerial reputation and his symbolic resonance. Admiration, though, does not equate to imminence, and Slot’s own comments suggest he feels secure enough to treat the rumours lightly.
Slot’s authority inside the dressing room
Questions around leadership inevitably extend beyond the touchline. Slot was also asked about reports suggesting Virgil van Dijk had called a players-only meeting following a disappointing draw. The Liverpool manager dismissed the idea. “I am not aware that Virgil called for [a team meeting], we had a post-match meeting led by me,” he said.
Slot’s answer was measured, factual, and quietly assertive. It reinforced where authority lies and suggested a dressing room functioning within normal parameters rather than one drifting towards unrest. “Post-match meeting was positives we did and where we can do a bit better,” he added, framing the moment as routine rather than revelatory.
Such details matter because managerial narratives often turn on whispers rather than realities. Meetings become mutinies, frustration becomes fracture, and any dropped point is reframed as existential crisis.
Perspective on Salah and Liverpool’s reliance on stars
Slot also addressed Mohamed Salah’s return after international duty, keen to draw a line under recent tension. “I am really happy and pleased he is back,” Slot said, emphasising Liverpool’s improved chance creation during his absence but also the value of having an elite finisher available.
“I saw today that Mo has 45 goals for Liverpool in the Champions League and the next highest is Virgil van Dijk with five,” Slot noted. “So it is nice to have him back, especially if he is able to reach those levels again.”
The comment was revealing not just for its statistical clarity, but for what it said about Slot’s broader outlook. He remains focused on function, balance and output rather than narrative drama. In a season where Liverpool’s margins have narrowed, his approach has been pragmatic rather than defensive.
Speculation about Alonso may continue, because it always does. But for now, as Slot himself implied, Liverpool’s present is not as fragile as the noise suggests.
