Arne Slot's grip on his position at the Liverpool helm has never been more tenuous, and the recent draw against Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League evidenced a restless and disgruntled fanbase.
And who could blame them? Liverpool have fallen from a proverbial cliff this season, so far removed from last year's title-winning fluency.
It hasn't been good enough, and if Anfield fails to respond in the Champions League on Wednesday and overturn the 1-0 deficit ceded to Galatasaray after a 1st leg loss in Istanbul last week, Slot's will be knocked out in the last 16 for the second year in a row.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot-3
FSG will undoubtedly want to reject any hasty moves, but if Liverpool continue to flatter to deceive over the next week, his position will only become more and more untenable.
Who could Liverpool replace Slot with
Slot needs to orchestrate a drastic turnaround over the final few months of 2025/26, especially with Xabi Alonso waiting in the wings after parting with Real Madrid this winter.
There is something romantic about the thought of replacing Slot with Alonso, a man who achieved so much in a Liverpool shirt and who has gone on to become one of the most promising young managers in the world.
Alonso was exceptional at the Bayer Leverkusen helm, and not so much in his homeland. In this, his appointment would come with an element of risk, and FSG might want to go with someone with a less chequered recent history in the dugout.
That man could be Julian Nagelsmann, who has been of a vested interest to Liverpool's owners in the past, and chatter has now picked up regarding the German, who is only 38, taking on the role.
julian-nagelsmann-germany-wirtz
Nagelsmann is set to lead the German national team over the pond for the looming World Cup in north America, so the chances of appointing him before the end of the season are negligible.
Nonetheless, he should be right at the top of FSG's list if Slot is leading Liverpool out for the final phase as manager, maybe even higher up that list than someone like Alonso.
Why Nagelsmann is perfect for Liverpool
Alonso, of course, would not be a bad appointment for Liverpool. He knows the club and completed an invincible domestic double with Bayer Leverkusen in 2023/24. The Spaniard even had Real Madrid playing at a pretty high standard for his short time at the helm.
Xabi Alonso record at Real Madrid (timeless)
Alonso's the real deal, but he's still got more to prove to reach the same level as Nagelsmann, who has actually been described as the "best young coach in Europe" by journalist Josh Bunting.
While Alonso would appease the emotional nature of the Merseyside, his possession-oriented approach and proclivity for a three-man backline suggests he might not be the perfect tactical fit.
Conversely, Nagelsmann's high-pressure tactics align close with Jurgen Klopp's methods than those of his successor at Anfield, with his typical 4-2-3-1 structure getting the best out of Florian Wirtz and providing a more solid defensive base. Liverpool have been far too porous in defence this term, and Alonso's Los Blancos side conceded far too many goals.
Even when Bayern Munich decided to sack Nagelsmann in 2023, huge questions were raised as to whether it was the right call. The Bundesliga giants were concerned about a lack of progress, but the strong position the club were in bespoke Nagelsmann's prowess and the hasty call to cut ties.
Maybe his managerial youth played into it, but he's only gone from strength to strength since and leads a Germany side who will fancy their chances at the forthcoming World Cup.
Moreover, he has what it takes to become someone cut from the same cloth as Klopp, with journalist Bence Bocsak drawing similarities between the countrymen's respective playing styles and remarking that Liverpool's legendary manager is “a big fan of him”.
Klopp's Silverware at Liverpool
Competition
Premier League
Champions League
FA Cup
Carabao Cup
Club World Cup
UEFA Super Cup
Community Shield
Slot has shown that he knows how to win silverware at Liverpool, but his second season in England has left too much to be desired, and now his tenure dangles by a thread.
In Nagelsmann and Alonso, the Reds have two elite managers to pick from, and while Alonso is the favourite, the younger man might just be the better pick.
Cody Gakpo for Liverpool Related
Slot must drop Liverpool star who's becoming as pointless as Gakpo
Arne Slot must finally drop this Liverpool player who has been as ineffective as Cody Gakpo.