Four Potential Arne Slot Replacements at Liverpool After Xabi Alonso Option Removed

Liverpool supporters spent last season thinking Arne Slot could walk on water. Fast forward a year and the Dutchman is drowning.

A pitiful Premier League title defence under the 47-year-old reached its lowest ebb on Friday night. Humiliation at Villa Park has intensified the increasingly unbearable scrutiny from a furious fanbase, criticism that could soon make Slot’s position as head coach untenable.

While Liverpool’s decision-makers are seemingly backing him to turn things around, dire performances and equally dismal results mean Slot is certainly not untouchable. Xabi Alonso’s move to Chelsea may have robbed the Reds fanbase of their top choice, but there are several viable managerial alternatives available this summer.

If the noise becomes too deafening, Liverpool might be forced to act. Here are four replacements for Slot in that eventuality.

Andoni Iraola

Alonso’s compatriot Andoni Iraola is arguably the next best candidate for Liverpool. The 43-year-old will leave Bournemouth at the end of the ongoing campaign and is currently undecided on his next move, leaving the door ajar if the Reds decide to change coach.

Iraola’s pedigree makes him an appealing option. Having transformed Bournemouth despite repeatedly seeing his squad picked apart by Europe’s elite, he’s undeniably worthy of the opportunity to manage a giant, even if recruiting the Basque coach would be considered a gamble for a club of Liverpool’s size.

Bournemouth, who could still qualify for the Champions League this season (potentially by leapfrogging Liverpool), have blossomed into a high-octane, attacking outfit under Iraola, whose principles and tactical philosophy would ensure an upturn in excitement at Anfield. The gegenpressing style Mohamed Salah has so dearly missed since Jürgen Klopp’s departure could be reinstalled.

Iraola has a proven track record of improving players, with Milos Kerkez, Dean Huijsen, Antoine Semenyo and Dominic Solanke all examples of players nurtured and sold on for enormous profits. Proven Premier League experience also ticks another box for Liverpool, Iraola needing no time to adjust to the rough and tumble of England’s top flight.

The 43-year-old might not be the most glamorous appointment possible, but he could be the wisest.

Julian Nagelsmann

There would be complications involved in any deal for Julian Nagelsmann. The 38-year-old will lead Germany at the World Cup this summer and wouldn’t be available until after the tournament concludes, if in fact he ever appears on the market. He’s also somebody who hasn’t worked in club soccer since March 2023, when he was sacked by Bayern Munich.

However, there’s a reason Bayern and then Germany placed their faith in Nagelsmann. The young manager has been around the block despite still being in his 30s, and continues to impress with his tactical acumen and potential. Just like when signing players, promise is sometimes just as important as the here and now.

Nagelsmann worked wonders at Hoffenheim and RB Leipzig prior to his Bayern move and was rather harshly dismissed in Bavaria. Having led Die Roten to the Bundesliga title in his debut season and won 71% of his matches across all competitions, the German was surprisingly fired two months from the end of his second season.

Perhaps the biggest issue for Nagelsmann was the dressing room environment as several stars turned against him, after which he struggled to wrestle control of an escalating situation. Still, there were few who anticipated such an abrupt end to his Bayern career, with the club having achieved positive results on the pitch during his reign.

Cesc Fàbregas

Cesc Fabregas for Como. — Cesc Fàbregas is dazzling in Italy. | Marco Luzzani/Getty Images

Chelsea have turned to a former Red in their pursuit of glory and Liverpool could take the plunge on a former Blues midfielder in response. Cesc Fàbregas has long been tipped as an up-and-coming coach to watch out for and an extremely impressive stint with Italian side Como has further enhanced a growing reputation, naturally drawing links between the Spaniard and European giants.

Fàbregas doesn’t have a massive portfolio, but what he’s achieved at Como deserves recognition. Taking over the newly-promoted Serie A side at the start of the 2024–25 season, the 39-year-old helped them stave off relegation and finish in a respectable 10th, much to the shock of many. An even more impressive campaign has been enjoyed in 2025–26, Como currently lie fifth and are still in with a shot of Champions League qualification.

Fàbregas’s confident and methodical approach has worked wonders with Como, who top Serie A for possession and clean sheets this season. The former Barcelona and Arsenal man has shown off his tactical nous regularly, making his side incredibly difficult to break down, but also joyous to watch when moving the ball forward. Only champions Inter average more goals than Como.

They do not play with the same intensity as Iraola’s Bournemouth or Klopp’s Liverpool, for example, instead preferring a mid-block and patiently choosing their triggers. However, Fàbregas has proven a tactically flexible coach who could certainly dial up the energy levels if required.

It could be too soon for a move to Liverpool or another behemoth, but Fàbregas is certainly on the path to greatness.

Sebastian Hoeneß

A hipster’s choice as Slot’s replacement, Sebastian Hoeneß certainly belongs in the conversation for such colossal jobs. The cap-donning 44-year-old has forged a reputation as one of Europe’s most exciting coaches, a stint with Hoffenheim as one of Nagelsmann’s successors followed by a hugely impressive spell with Stuttgart.

Die Schwaben were bottom of the Bundesliga when Hoeneß took over and the German managed to save them via the relegation playoff. They would soon kick on, however, rising from 16th to second the following season and making their much-anticipated return to the Champions League.

League performances suffered last season as Stuttgart juggled European and domestic duties, but triumphing in the DFB Pokal was another massive achievement spearheaded by Hoeneß. This season, a fourth-place finish has been matched by another run to the German cup final.

What has characterized his success is intense, vertical soccer built around hard work and fierce pressing. Stuttgart smother opponents and recycle the ball quickly, ensuring they boast one of the best forward units in the Bundesliga. Only Bayern scored more than their 71 in the league this season.

Someone clearly inspired by Klopp’s pressing ideals could be the perfect solution.

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