Liverpool have formally asked Xabi Alonso to cut short his sabbatical from football and return to the dugout as Arne Slot’s successor, according to a detailed report that has sent shockwaves through Anfield.
The request comes after Saturday’s damaging 2-1 defeat to Brighton, which dropped the Premier League champions to fifth place and placed their qualification for next season’s Champions League in genuine jeopardy. Pressure on Slot has been mounting for months following a sharp decline in form since last term’s title triumph, and Alonso — the former Bayer Leverkusen manager widely regarded as the “CEO” of one of Europe’s most tactically sophisticated clubs — has long been viewed internally as the ideal candidate.
A trusted X account run by five elite reporters (708,000 followers) broke the story, revealing that Liverpool’s owners and football operations team will convene on Tuesday specifically to address the deepening crisis. The account states: “Liverpool will ask Xabi Alonso once again whether he is willing to cut short his break from football to manage the club and replace Arne Slot. There are mixed views on bringing Steven Gerrard in as temporary manager until the summer, and it will require convincing certain officials at the club.”
The approach is no surprise to those inside the club. TEAMtalk correspondent Graeme Bailey reported earlier this month that the Dutchman’s former Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen boss remains the only name on Liverpool’s shortlist. Yet while the outreach to Alonso is real and immediate, senior figures at the club are still reluctant to trigger an outright managerial change before the season concludes.
Sources close to the situation insist that Slot’s position will be reviewed in full only at the end of the campaign — unless a truly seismic collapse occurs in the coming weeks. The club’s current stance is clear: there is no intention to dismiss the manager mid-season while the team remains in contention for this year’s Champions League and FA Cup, both of which represent critical lifelines.
That said, the dramatic drop-off from last season’s dominance has seriously alarmed Fenway Sports Group. Having been expected to challenge for the title again, Liverpool are now fighting simply to secure a top-five finish — the minimum required for Champions League football next term. Privately, executives have acknowledged concerns across both on- and off-pitch matters, but they remain committed to allowing the current campaign to play out.
The remainder of the season, therefore, will be decisive. While the bombshell approach to Alonso signals that Liverpool have already begun planning for life after Slot, an immediate sacking remains unlikely. The “CEO” of Leverkusen sits firmly on the Reds’ radar for next term — but for now, the Anfield throne continues to shake without falling.