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Liverpool’s dramatic collapse in form has sparked inevitable speculation about Arne Slot’s future at Anfield.
With nine defeats in their last twelve matches, the reigning Premier League champions find themselves in crisis – but any decision to part ways with the Dutchman would come at a significant financial cost.
When Liverpool appointed Slot as Jurgen Klopp’s successor in June 2024, they handed him a three-year deal running until the summer of 2027.
Reports from De Telegraaf at the time indicate the 47-year-old earns approximately £6.6 million per year, making him one of the better-paid managers in the Premier League.
With roughly two-and-a-half years remaining on that agreement, the gross value of his outstanding contract sits somewhere in the region of £15–17 million before any performance-related bonuses are factored in.
In practice, clubs rarely pay out the full remaining value of a manager’s contract when parting ways.
Settlements are typically negotiated, with both parties agreeing on a figure that allows a clean break without dragging through legal proceedings.
A really good, high-profile example is Graham Potter at Chelsea.
When Chelsea sacked him in April 2023, he still had almost five years left on a contract reportedly worth around £12m per year, so in theory the club could have been on the hook for close to £50–60m if they’d paid it in full.
Instead, the Blues reached what was described as a regular severance package not tied to the full remaining duration of his deal.
Using that logic, Liverpool could then pay in the region of £10 million to dismiss Slot as an educated estimate, which represents a realistic middle ground between the full contract value and a heavily discounted exit.
Any compensation package would represent just one element of the total cost. Liverpool would also need to factor in:
Recruitment fees for a new manager, potentially including compensation to another club.
Backroom staff changes, as incoming coaches typically bring their own assistants.
Potential wage increases if the club targets a higher-profile replacement.
When Chelsea sacked Graham Potter in 2023, the total cost of his departure ran into the tens of millions.
Liverpool, historically more cautious with their spending, would be wary of similar waste.
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