The Winners, Losers From Arne Slot’s Liverpool Departure

Just two years after Arne Slot’s appointment, Liverpool find themselves hunting for the Dutchman’s successor.

An extraordinary debut campaign which ended with the Premier League title could hardly have been more contrasting to his second season in charge, as Liverpool slumped to fifth place and finished without any silverware added to their trophy cabinet.

Woeful results and similarly bleak performances left the Reds with no choice but to part ways with the Dutch coach, whose dismissal will potentially divide opinion in Liverpool’s dressing room. For some, there will be relief, but others might be fearing the future.

Here are the winners and losers at Liverpool following Slot’s departure.

Winners

Florian Wirtz

Florian Wirtz is unlikely to be too displeased by Slot’s exit. An arduous debut campaign at Anfield following last summer’s blockbuster switch from Bayer Leverkusen was exacerbated by his coach, who failed to maximize his potential.

Former Red and Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso was able to harness Wirtz’s talents at Leverkusen, as has Julian Nagelsmann for the German national team. Slot, however, was unable to follow in their footsteps, as Wirtz concluded the campaign with just 15 goal involvements in 49 matches.

Being regularly shunted to the left flank didn’t aid the attacking midfielder’s development, or allow him to build the necessary momentum to blossom. Liverpool’s labored offensive approach under Slot also contributed to a quiet campaign.

Liverpool’s next manager—almost certainly ex-Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola—has an endlessly creative talent to nurture on arrival.

Curtis Jones

Curtis Jones’s future remains uncertain heading into the summer, with reports of a move to Serie A champions Inter having intensified recently after first circulating back in the winter window. The Scouser’s frustrations with Slot and his relatively limited involvement under the 47-year-old appeared to fuel speculation.

Frustration is perhaps a fitting word for Jones, who has often flattered to deceive for the Reds. Excellent performances have been fleeting and there remain question marks over whether he can develop into a midfielder worthy of starting weekly for his boyhood club. Consistency is his major issue.

Even Jürgen Klopp was unable to turn Jones into a world-beating midfielder, despite the 25-year-old’s evident technical ability. However, with another few seasons of experience since the legendary German’s departure, Liverpool’s next coach could be the one to unlock Jones’s potential.

If that is Iraola, then Jones will be feeling overwhelmingly encouraged. The Spaniard is an excellent man-manager and one need only look at the progress Alex Scott has made at Bournemouth over the last year to see a ray of hope for Liverpool’s No. 17.

Milos Kerkez

Milos Kerkez endured an incredibly challenging start to his Liverpool career after signing last summer, and while the Hungary international improved noticeably as the campaign progressed, he still failed to reach the standards hit during the 2024–25 season at Bournemouth.

Liverpool’s lack of identity certainly affected Kerkez’s performances, with Slot’s decision to move away from using attacking width from fullback—as predecessor Klopp had done so effectively—limiting the 22-year-old’s impact.

However, if Iraola replaces Slot, as expected, then Kerkez will be reunited with the manager who turned him into a $53.5 million (£40 million) player. The Spaniard’s high-pressing, intensity-first philosophy should allow Kerkez to rediscover his mojo and blossom into the Andy Robertson successor he was bought to become.

Jeremie Frimpong

Slot certainly doesn’t deserve blame for Jeremie Frimpong’s injury-riddled debut season with Liverpool, as five different spells on the sidelines completely disrupted the Dutch international’s rhythm. However, when fit and healthy, the right back struggled to flourish in Slot’s confused system.

Much like with Kerkez, Slot failed to find a proper use for Frimpong’s attacking quality. The 25-year-old conjured 10 or more goal involvements in each of his final four seasons at Bayer Leverkusen—admittedly operating as a wingback—but has managed just three in 35 appearances.

When using him at right back, Slot failed to find a recipe that would allow Frimpong to provide offensive support without completely derailing his side’s defensive structure. Odd outings at right wing as Mohamed Salah’s replacement hardly inspired confidence, either.

A different coach could help Frimpong rediscover his swashbuckling Leverkusen form.

Losers

Cody Gakpo

Despite enduring a rotten season on Merseyside, Gakpo still made 52 appearances across all competitions—only three players amassed more. Slot’s relentless faith in the misfiring winger was rewarded with just nine goals across the term and only the one during the final three months of the campaign.

While Gakpo did sign a new contract with Liverpool last August, a change of manager offers him little assurance over his future. Given his unconventional frame for a wide forward, disappointing form and the emergence of Rio Ngumoha, game time is not guaranteed under a new regime.

With Liverpool targeting at least one new winger this summer—Yan Diomande their first-choice selection—and perhaps even two, Gakpo’s days could well be numbered. After a dreadful season, he will need to prove himself to Slot’s successor.

Ryan Gravenberch

Gravenberch spent his debut season struggling for minutes under Klopp, but Slot’s redeployment of the Dutchman as a defensive midfielder thrust him into the XI. A hugely impressive transformation was essential to Liverpool winning the Premier League and Slot justifiably retained faith in the former Bayern Munich man last season.

However, with Slot now gone and a holding midfielder on Liverpool’s radar in the transfer market, Gravenberch’s starting berth is less assured. While he still has an exceptionally bright future at Anfield, minutes might be harder to come by under a new coach.

Liverpool are well-stocked in the engine room and if Iraola does indeed replace Slot, then there will be just two central midfield places on offer as the 43-year-old deploys a 4-2-3-1 system. Add in a new signing and Gravenberch’s inconsistent form across 2025–26, and there could be difficulties on the horizon for the Netherlands international.

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