Three high-profile players clashed with the Dutch manager during his tenure at Anfield, and the fallout reshaped Liverpool’s identity
Liverpool lost three of their biggest names after friction with Arne Slot paved the way for their Anfield exits. Mohamed Salah went public, claiming the club “threw him under the bus” after a string of benchings wrecked his relationship with the manager.
Trent Alexander-Arnold followed, heading to Real Madrid on a free transfer; former Red Jan Molby suggested the full-back simply didn’t want to play for Slot once Jurgen Klopp left. Then there was Darwin Nunez. The club’s record signing fell so far out of the loop that rumours of a training ground walkout surfaced. Slot tried to downplay it, saying the striker was “not feeling himself” before the West Ham game, but the damage was done.
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The tension between Salah and Slot boiled over in December 2025. The Egyptian didn’t hold back about feeling pushed to the sidelines after being dropped for three straight games against West Ham, Sunderland, and Leeds. He even described the relationship as “broken.”
Slot kept his cool in public, suggesting the club’s “actions” showed they were ready to move forward. On March 25, Salah confirmed this season would be his last at Liverpool, despite having a year left on his contract, while his former teammate Aboutrika pointed the finger squarely at Slot for forcing the move.
The exit of Alexander-Arnold was just as messy. Slot openly criticised the defender right before his final Premier League game, following a hostile atmosphere from the fans during the Arsenal match. Just before the right-back packed his bags, Slot pointedly mentioned that Trent’s circumstances required far more sit-downs than any other player.
As for Nunez, Slot didn’t hide his frustration after a missed sitter against Aston Villa, calling the striker’s behaviour “hard to accept.” After making only eight league starts in the 2024-25 title-winning season, Liverpool finally cut their losses, selling him to Al-Hilal for roughly €75 million.
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Losing three massive stars in a single year marks a total changing of the guard at Anfield. Slot clearly prioritised team discipline over individual star power, and the 2024-25 Premier League title proved he was right to do so. With Salah now leaving by mutual consent, Andy Robertson also moving on, and Ibrahima Konate’s future up in the air, the squad is undergoing a massive facelift.
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Did Arne Slot handle the Mohamed Salah situation correctly, or did Liverpool lose a generational talent too soon?
From Liverpool’s side, Slot handled Salah as well as he could, though the communication was messy. Dropping a legend like Salah three times in a row without a clear reason was always going to cause a blow-up. Slot’s results speak for themselves; winning the league in his first year is no small feat, but losing over 250 goals in one summer leaves a massive hole in the attack. Slot made the tough call for the good of the system, but the way Salah left will leave a bitter taste for many fans for a long time.