‘Clock Ticking’—Arne Slot’s Liverpool Future Heading for Choppy Waters

Slot has hit back at criticism from Jamie Carragher amid reports of his uncertain job status.

Arne Slot’s Liverpool contract expires in 2027. | John Powell/Liverpool FC/Getty Images

Multiple reports have painted a grim picture for the future of Liverpool manager Arne Slot should his side fail to advance to the Champions League quarterfinals on Wednesday night.

Slot himself has been outspoken in his belief that his future will not hinge purely on results. Even a failure to qualify for next season’s Champions League would not be a fatal flaw in the eyes of the defiant Dutch coach—as he pointed out, Jürgen Klopp wasn’t sacked after finishing fifth.

However, that logic assumes that Slot has the same standing as Klopp within Liverpool’s hierarchy. They may share the same tally of Premier League titles but the charismatic German was adored for the style of his high energy teams as much as their success.

Even Slot has begrudgingly admitted that this current, under-performing iteration of Liverpool are “boring.” Fans vocalized their complaints with a loud chorus of boos in response to Sunday’s 1–1 draw with relegation-battling Tottenham Hotspur.

At this stage of the campaign, with Liverpool very much in contention to finish in the Premier League’s top five and still in the Champions League and FA Cup, Slot is not thought to be in any danger of being sacked. However, The Athletic’s Liverpool correspondent James Pearce warned that he still has to “turn this around” and “the clocking is ticking” on that solution. The alarm bells could start ringing as soon as Wednesday night.

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The Importance of Liverpool vs. Galatasaray

Liverpool have some ground to make up against Galatasaray. | Isa Terli/Anadolu/Getty Images

Liverpool head into Wednesday’s Champions League last-16 second leg at home to Galatasaray trailing 1–0 on aggregate. The number of chances the Reds created in Istanbul should give the hosts hope of overturning the deficit, yet their chronic defensive issues ensure the back door is never convincingly locked.

Slot reportedly has the faith of Liverpool’s hierarchy. Yet, were he to crash out in the Champions League round of 16 on Wednesday (for a second season on the spin) The Athletic’s Simon Hughes warned “it will be really, really hard for Slot to rescue back that trust.”

Should Slot feel inclined to turn to the example set by Klopp, he may point out that his predecessor also lost in the last 16 of the Champions League during his final season in the competition. However, the talismanic coach also led Liverpool to three finals, hoisting aloft the big-eared trophy in 2019.

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Slot At Risk of Losing Close Confidant—Report

Arne Slot (left) and Richard Hughes both joined Liverpool in 2024. | Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC/Getty Images

Slot’s appointment as Liverpool’s “head coach”—rather than manager—in the summer of 2024 came in unison with the arrival of Richard Hughes as a dedicated sporting director. The pair have worked closely, combining to oversee the largest spend of any club ever in a single transfer window last summer.

Hughes’s work has caught the eye of Saudi Pro League club Al Hilal, as first reported by The Telegraph. The former Scotland international who worked wonders at Bournemouth is thought to be a shortlist of potential sporting directors for the immensely wealthy Middle Eastern power.

Whether Hughes would give this switch any serious consideration is another matter. No official contact is thought to have been made yet and it’s unclear how Hughes would respond if there was. Much like Slot, he has a contract at Liverpool until 2027.

However, if Hughes was to leave, the departure of a close confidant would only weaken Slot’s standing within the club.

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Slot Hits Back at Jamie Carragher Criticism

Arne Slot (left) has had a running series of arguments with Jamie Carragher. | Liverpool FC/James Baylis/AMA/Getty Images

Not content with fending off the sharks questioning his suitability as Liverpool boss, Slot also has to deal with the unrelenting torrent of commentary from those with links to the club. Rarely has a week gone by this season without a former Liverpool player offering an entirely uninvited opinion for Slot to consider. Few are as outspoken—or have the same platform—as Jamie Carragher.

The Sky Sports pundit and ex-Liverpool defender brandished Slot’s side a “team of individuals” after the lackluster nature of their draw with Spurs. The Dutch boss had a different view.

“I have agreed with lots of things Jamie has said before this season, but this particular one, I disagree with him,” Slot sniffed. “After so many disappointments this season, to concede late, we could have given up but didn’t. A team that has given up, a team of individuals, doesn’t show this resilience.

“It’s not like we are 11 individuals. If he meant that, then I completely disagree. If he means we are not perfectly playing together in possession and off the ball he is right but that has nothing to do with individual mentality, it is to do with better connections not being as strong yet as a team that has been playing together. I see a team that is fighting together.”

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