**Arne Slot has come out fighting regarding his future on the Anfield touchline, insisting he has “every reason to believe” he will lead Liverpool into next season.**
Despite a debut campaign that saw him write his name into folklore by delivering the Premier League title, the Dutchman has found himself under the microscope in recent months. A turbulent second season has seen the Reds fall out of silverware contention, leaving the fan base divided as the club prepares for a tense final fortnight.
Currently sitting in fourth, the Merseyside giants are guaranteed a trophyless end to the term a sharp contrast to last year’s heroics. However, with Champions League qualification still hanging in the balance, Slot was quick to dismiss suggestions that his tenure could be cut short.
Liverpool supporters are very much split in opinion when it comes to their head coach, Arne Slot. The Reds run of results in the Premier League and other competitions, such as the Champions League, combined with their style of play, has a lot of Kopites disgruntled with the direction the Dutch head coach is taking them in.
Following their draw with Chelsea last weekend, [boos echoed throughout Anfield](https://readliverpoolfc.com/articles/fabrizio-romano-arne-slot-liverpool-sack-update/), though that wasn’t the first time they were heard that afternoon, with boos filling the air at half-time and when Rio Ngumoha was substituted, though Slot claims that was a fitness issue.
Rumours have speculated that Xabi Alonso could be the man to take to the Anfield dugout next season, though it seems if he does, it will be the away dugout with Chelsea, who are ramping up their interest in the former Reds midfielder.
A chance to guarantee Liverpool’s place in the Champions League is on the cards when they take on Aston Villa on Friday night, though those questions still exist, with just edging into the top four viewed as a step back after his magnificent debut campaign.
In his press conference ahead of his side’s matchup with the Villains, Slot was asked about his future on Merseyside. Where he believes football has completely changed from what it once was.
He said, “I think the world has gone to if a manager doesn’t have their best season, it is always a debate. That is the new reality in football. Not up to me to judge the people that judge me. They have every right to that opinion, and everyone can share it.
“Planning for next season? We know where we go on tour. Plans have been made, talks ongoing between the club and new players, and I am involved in that.”
It came as a surprise to no one last summer when the Dutchman was heavily associated with the deals the team was making, having played a key part in Florian Wirtz picking the Reds over German giants Bayern Munich or Premier League rivals Manchester City.
12 months on, and the structure of what he has built seems to be crumbling. The team have struggled to find the same tune that made them Premier League champions, while new signings such as the German haven’t been able to fit in the team as fans imagined.
The large majority of the fanbase at this stage blame the manager for the situation they find themselves in, though it looks like he will be staying put as the head coach ahead of the new season.
The club are at a crossroads, and for the first time in what feels like a long time, it’s not exactly a clear view of what is in store. Since Jurgen Klopp’s arrival back in 2015, Liverpool have been going uphill, reaching two finals in his first year, to winning the Champions League and Premier League a few years later.
While they failed to win either of them again under Klopp, they continued to be successful, which in turn gave Slot a helping hand in winning the league title again last season. Now, they are staring a void in the face which is growing bigger and bigger as they approach.
A few high-profile players have already confirmed they will be leaving this summer, who play as big a part off the pitch as they do on it, and others could follow them out the door with contracts running down, such as [Ibrahima Konate](https://readliverpoolfc.com/news/ibrahima-konate-confirms-he-is-set-to-sign-new-deal-at-liverpool-this-is-what-i-always-wanted/) this summer and Dominik Szoboszlai in 2028.
Last year’s recruitment has been far from ideal, with the use of hindsight, which is one Kopite’s mind ahead of another, summer rebuild.
In the press conference, the Dutch head coach confirmed that it’s not just his say whether he stays at the club, but also Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards. “I don’t think I decide that along (if he’ll still be LFC coach). I am contracted to this club, all the talks we have, so yeah, that is my take on it.”
Though that is just another ticking time bomb, with all three senior figures’ deals on Merseyside coming to a close next summer. It’s difficult to see the direction the club is taking, especially with so many supporters agitated. Slot can still turn the ship around; however, that has been the suggestion for many months, and it makes you wonder when it might be time to appoint a new captain at the helm.