Arne Slot now looks all but certain to become the next Liverpool manager – where he will have to try and fill the giant shoes of Jurgen Klopp.
Many observers have described that as an unenviable task, given the legendary status the outgoing German boss enjoys in world football for his achievements at Borussia Dortmund and Anfield. The 56-year-old ended Liverpool’s long wait for a Premier League title by building one of the best sides this country has ever seen, while also lifting the Champions League along the way.
But Klopp’s rebuilt Reds have fallen out of this year’s title race thanks to a string of disappointing results, culminating in an ugly pitchside spat between the manager and star forward Mohamed Salah during a frustrating 2-2 draw at West Ham. The Egyptian goal machine’s future at Anfield was already the source of much speculation, given ongoing interest from Saudi Arabia after a £150m bid from Al-Ittihad was rejected last August.
Talk of his possible departure has only increased as a result of the incident at the London Stadium on Saturday, with the 31-year-old also out of contract next summer. And now fans and pundits alike are starting to ask whether the tall order of following in the Klopp’s footsteps isn’t the only reason why taking the Anfield hotseat is unenviable.
Slot, 56, spoke boldly about how he wants the Liverpool job during talks, in which the English giants agreed a £9.4m compensation package with Feyenoord for his services. Here, Daily Star Sport looks at five problems the Dutchman will have to deal with immediately if he arrives in Merseyside at the end of May.
Mohamed Salah’s uncertain future – and Virgil Van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold’s too
Salah’s goals in the first half of the season fired Liverpool into a title challenge, but his hamstring injury suffered at the Africa Cup of Nations and subsequent slump in form has cost the Reds dearly. The veteran looked as good as ever when he first returned to action, but it later emerged he’d hurt himself again during a stunning substitute appearance in Liverpool’s 4-1 win at Brentford.
That layoff meant Salah missed the Carabao Cup final victory over Chelsea. In doing so, he may have also missed his last chance of lifting silverware in a Red shirt, because not only have the goals dried up since, but he’s looked a shadow of the man who has scored 20 or more in the last seven seasons. And then on Saturday he very publicly fell out with Klopp, having been dropped following a string of lifeless performances.
At the age of 31, Liverpool’s highest-paid player looks like he might be a fading force. It would be daft to write him off entirely – we’ve been here before in 2022 when he also returned dejected from the AFCON and contributed very little during a title run-in – yet his career is clearly at a crossroads, with continued interest in his signature from the Saudi Pro League.
