Plane trip, talks held - Liverpool seem to move on from target as new one emerges

Liverpool are exploring potential replacements for Jurgen Klopp at Anfield, with Feyenoord's Arne Slot emerging as a leading candidate.

While Sporting CP's Ruben Amorim had been the favorite to succeed Klopp, his talks with West Ham United suggest he might be heading to London, prompting Liverpool to consider other options.

Claims were even made that he took a private plane trip to London to chat to the Hammers.

Arne Slot's recent success in the Eredivisie has attracted the attention of Premier League clubs, including Liverpool.

Journalist Dean Jones told Give Me Sport that Liverpool could look to appoint a different managerial target at the end of the 2023/24 season, following Klopp's announced departure.

Although Liverpool have considered various names, they have yet to make a final decision on who will take over the reins.

Slot's successful tenure at Feyenoord, marked by an Eredivisie title in 2022/23 and a KNVB Cup win, has elevated him to a prime position to be Klopp's successor.

According to The Athletic, Amorim's talks with West Ham have changed the dynamics, leading Liverpool to consider Slot more seriously.

What's the latest on Slot to Liverpool?

Dean Jones acknowledges that Slot's move to the Premier League seems inevitable but didn't anticipate it would be with a club as prestigious as Liverpool so soon.

He suggests that while Amorim was the frontrunner, Slot's emergence as a potential candidate could be due to Liverpool's need for a fresh approach.

The uncertainty surrounding Klopp's successor has also brought other names into the conversation, such as Brighton & Hove Albion's Roberto De Zerbi and Bologna's Thiago Motta, although neither has solidified their position.

Jones said: "The latest twist in the Amorim saga is interesting because it was feeling inevitable recently that it was only a matter of time before a breakthrough would be made in terms of him joining Liverpool."

Jones continued: "But now we can consider what might happen instead. One of the new names that suddenly emerged over the weekend was Arne Slot, which came at an interesting time because there were signs that a surprise could come if Amorim didn’t land the job.

"At Feyenoord, Slot won the league last year and sees his side second in the table this time around. He will inevitably jump to the Premier League at some point, but it was not anticipated that it would be as big a job as Liverpool just yet.

"Slot is a new name, but others who have been in and around the conversation and still haven’t nailed themselves to new jobs are De Zerbi and Thiago Motta. The whispers that have leaked out have seemed pretty clear that De Zerbi doesn’t fit at the moment, but once Alonso, Nagelsmann and Amorim start to drop out of the conversation, you wonder where this could end up."