Liverpool greatly appreciates AFC Bournemouth coach Iraola, who will become a free agent this summer.
British media i Paper pointed out that Liverpool will still support Slot to coach until the end of the season and plan to give him a chance to strengthen the team in the summer, but the team's continuous defeats and the risk of missing the Champions League are making his position precarious. Alonso and Howe are also related to the coaching rumors, but changing coaches may not solve the problem.
How much pressure is Slot under?
Liverpool will support Slot to finish this season, and the original plan was to give him another summer to strengthen the team. Fenway Sports Group has always firmly recognized his coaching ability this season, and the situation at Anfield this season is unprecedented: record investment in the summer window, the previous loss of beloved teammates, and then successive injuries have caused serious interference.
But in the two defeats against Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain, Slot had two weeks of training time to formulate plans to deal with the two major European powerhouses, but the result was a complete defeat, which further deepened the outside world's view: Slot could not come up with a solution to Liverpool's decline.
If the Reds' slump continues, next weekend's away game against their city rivals Everton will suddenly become dangerous, and once they miss out on next season's Champions League, it will be difficult for Slot to continue to stay.
Who might be the next Liverpool coach?
Liverpool greatly appreciates AFC Bournemouth coach Andoni Iraola, who will become a free agent this summer.
Although Xabi Alonso may take over, his style may not be suitable for taking over the existing squad, which complicates the coaching situation. However, i Paper understands that many people in Liverpool's decision-making team also recognize the work of AFC Bournemouth coach Iraola.
Howe's future is not as clear as it was at the beginning of the year. When Klopp announced his departure two years ago, he was one of the candidates, but Liverpool's procrastination and destructive operation in the pursuit of Alexander Isak a year ago has broken the relationship between the two parties.
Is changing coaches really a panacea? Fenway's professional operation in the transfer market was once regarded as an industry benchmark, but their aggressive signings this summer are really surprising.
Why are competitors puzzled by the Reds' investment?
For example, some people in Paris Saint-Germain were surprised by Liverpool's signing of Ekitike. Although this player is excellent, his character and mentality have always been questionable. Wirtz has a promising future, but the Isak deal, which was touted as a "world-class player," has failed. An English Premier League executive who has had multiple deals with Liverpool said that the Reds' nearly £450 million investment looks like "a kid walking into a candy store." They were also too shrewd and let go of Guehi, who has a strong aura and is extremely charismatic.
They brought in talented players but did not replenish the team's leadership. This season's signs have already proved this. With Robertson confirming his departure at the end of the season, the team will lose another experienced backbone.
After Klopp left in 2024, Fenway brought back Michael Edwards, who was described as "one of the best management talents in world football." But so far, his and sports director Hughes' major ideas have not brought about the changes Liverpool needs.
They bet that the Premier League's obsession with physical confrontation and set-pieces is just a short-term trend, but mental will is always an indispensable quality. After such a huge investment, it is really puzzling that Liverpool lacks fighting spirit.