On January 26, 2024, Jurgen Klopp shocked the football world by announcing that at the end of the 2023/24 season, he would step down as Liverpool’s coach after nine years in charge. At that time, the announcement was very impromptu and surreal. Every football enthusiast from the German’s fierce rival Pep Guardiola to the players of rival clubs was taken aback by his rather abrupt decision.
May 19, 2024, the last matchday of the 2023/24 Premier League season would be Jurgen Klopp’s last game in charge of the Reds. Long before then, the decision-makers at the club were actively looking for his replacement.
The prime candidate to replace the German was Bayern Leverkusen’s coach Xabi Alonso. Many Liverpool fans and football stakeholders alike felt this was a match made in heaven because Xabi Alonso previously played for the 19-time Premier League champions and also has a strong heritage at the club. Plus, the former midfielder was doing fantastic things at Bayern Leverkusen.
During negotiations with Xabi Alonso, Bayern Leverkusen were at the top of the Bundesliga table and had been unbeaten so far. Die Werkself would eventually go on to win the Bundesliga title, ending Bayern Munich’s 10-year reign in the process. If this wasn’t impressive enough, they also ended the 2023/24 Bundesliga unbeaten.
Xabi Alonso, however, broke the hearts of many Liverpool supporters by turning down the opportunity to coach his former club. He made this decision because he wanted to focus on the project he was working on at Bayern Leverkusen.
After Xabi Alonso, Liverpool turned their attention to Sporting Lisbon’s coach Ruben Amorim. He was also doing amazing things with his club side and they ended the season as the Primeira Liga Champions. Ruben Amorim also turned down the opportunity to become Liverpool’s next coach and his decision to refuse this offer was the same as that of Xabi Alonso – he was very committed to his project at Sporting Lisbon and wanted to continue building on the success he had achieved thus far.
Next, Liverpool turned their attention the Feyenoord’s Arne Slot. The third time was apparently the charm because, after negotiations, the Dutchman accepted the offer to become Jurgen Klopp’s replacement. The announcement that Arne Slot would become Liverpool’s next manager came with very mixed reactions, and the negatives far outweighed the positives.
Many felt the Reds were making a huge mistake hiring a coach from outside the big 5 leagues in Europe. Also, there were those who were concerned about the fact that the Dutchman’s CV was not as stellar as that of the previous two coaches that Liverpool had contacted but ended up turning down their offer. Some even went as far as declaring that the Reds lowered the bar in order to find their next manager.
There is no doubt that Arne Slot was well aware of these criticisms of his abilities. Whether or not he took this to heart, we will never know.
The criticisms aside, the former Feyenoord boss had some positives to work with. First off, Jurgen Klopp himself place a vote of confidence in his abilities during his farewell game at Anfield. Also, he and his predecessor have very similar management styles. Both coaches emphasize high-intensity pressing, aggressive counter-pressing, and a focus on quick transitions. They also prioritize flexibility and adaptability, often switching formations and tactics mid-game to exploit opponents’ weaknesses.
The Dutchman’s biggest advantage would be that he was going to inherit the very impressive squad that Jurgen Klopp had assembled over the years which included the likes of Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Alisson.
On June 29, 2024, Arne Slot was officially unveiled as Liverpool’s manager. Under his management, the Reds have a very impressive preseason tour as they secured victories over the likes of Arsenal (2-1), Manchester United(3-0), and Real Betis(1-0).
Liverpool’s performance during the preseason should have set a strong precedence for what the club could achieve over the course of the season however, some people still had their doubts. Why was this so? This was because, unlike their rivals, Arne Slot’s side had failed to make any major signings, especially in areas that were considered crucial.
One such area was the number 6 position. Liverpool actually made an attempt to reinforce this position by attempting to sign Euro 2024 winner Martin Zubimendi. However, the deal fell through as the defensive midfielder opted to remain at Real Sociedad.
At the tail end of the transfer window, Liverpool did make some signings. They signed goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili from Valencia and immediately loaned him back to his parent club. The Georgian would join Arne Slot’s side in the 2025/26 season. Liverpool also signed Federico Chiesa from Italian giants Juventus to bolster their attacking options.
Despite being barely active in the transfer window, Liverpool could not have asked for a better start to the 2024/25 season.
In their match of the 2024/25 Premier League season, they defeated rivals Manchester United 3-0 at Old Trafford and absolutely dominated them over the course of the ninety minutes. By doing so, Arne Slot has now become the first Liverpool manager in the club’s history to win his first three competitive matches.
If this is not impressive enough, Liverpool is now the only team in the Premier League that has yet to concede a goal so far this season and are joint top of the Premier League table with Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.
What a way for Arne Slot to silence those who doubted his abilities! The narrative being pushed now is that the former Feyenoord coach was going to inevitably succeed because he inherited a very good squad from his predecessor Jurgen Klopp.
Arne Slot has made a remarkable start to his Liverpool tenure, setting a precedent that suggests he has the potential to transform this current squad into the world-beaters his predecessor, Jürgen Klopp, unleashed on the world.
His early victories, particularly the comprehensive win over Manchester United, have silenced doubters and showcased his ability to extract the best from the team. With a solid foundation already laid, Slot’s strategic signings and tactical acumen could elevate Liverpool to even greater heights than Klopp achieved. The recent Manchester City charges create an intriguing opportunity for Liverpool to challenge for the title, and with Slot at the helm, they have a genuine chance to be serious contenders.
