Liverpool have announced the dismissal of head coach Arne Slot, just one year after he guided the club to the Premier League title in his debut season. However, in the 2025/26 campaign, Liverpool could only finish in fifth place, failing to meet expectations.
Slot, formerly of Feyenoord, replaced Jurgen Klopp in 2024 and made an immediate impact, securing the league championship in his first season. But in his second year, the title defence quickly turned into a battle for Champions League qualification, with the team failing to win any domestic trophies – a sharp decline for the reigning champions.
In a statement released on Saturday, Liverpool said: 'This was a difficult decision for us as a club, there is no question about that. Arne's contributions to Liverpool during his time here were significant, meaningful and – most importantly for the fans and for us – successful.'
The club stressed that from the moment they met Slot, they saw someone who not only accepted responsibility but embraced it, as demonstrated by leading the team to a Premier League title. Nevertheless, after the challenging season just ended, they concluded that a change was necessary for the club to continue moving forward.
Liverpool confirmed the search for a successor is underway. Media speculation points to Andoni Iraola, the Spanish manager who guided Bournemouth to a sixth-place finish in the Premier League and secured a first-ever Europa League berth, as a leading candidate for the hot seat at Anfield.
