Slot on the ropes: 11 free-agent gaffers who could take the Anfield hotseat

Let’s have it right: few imagined Arne Slot would be under pressure by Christmas after parading the Premier League trophy in May. But six league defeats before the halfway mark have turned the Anfield mood from parade to post-mortem. The sack race chatter is deafening, and the market of free agents is, frankly, fascinating. If Liverpool do stick or twist, here are 11 unemployed managers who could get the call.

For those keeping an eye on where the odds are moving, don’t ignore the smart money on the best betting sites. The names are big, the stakes are bigger, and Liverpool can’t afford a misstep.

11) Gareth Southgate

Hard to picture the waistcoat on the Kop, but you can’t scoff at the CV: back-to-back Euros finals and a World Cup semi with England. Calm, culturally astute, and excellent with young players, yet his club appetite remains uncertain. A credible grown-up option, albeit a distant one for Anfield’s immediate needs.

10) Brendan Rodgers

Familiar face, unlikely reunion. Since his 2015 exit, Rodgers has stacked up silverware north of the border and lifted the FA Cup with Leicester. He departed Celtic in October and will fancy another Premier League project, but a Liverpool return feels romantic rather than realistic.

9) Marco Rose

High press, high energy, and a Klopp-adjacent school of thought from his Leipzig spell. But a poor 2023–24 run saw him shown the door, which dents the case. The principles fit the shirt; the recent results don’t scream Liverpool right now.

8) Joachim Löw

A World Cup winner sits this low? That’s the paradox. Löw’s 2014 triumph is unimpeachable, yet he hasn’t worked since stepping down from Germany in 2021 and hasn’t taken a club job for an age. The question isn’t pedigree; it’s pace. Has the modern week-to-week club grind moved past him?

7) Thiago Motta

Not so long ago, Motta was the tactical darling, drawing headlines with his much-discussed 2-7-2 concept and firing Bologna into the Champions League for the first time. A bruising stint at Juventus cooled the hype, but at 40-something with bold ideas, the upside is obvious if Liverpool want a progressive project.

6) Ange Postecoglou

Two years back, you’d have said Ange’s front-foot football could light up Anfield. Fast forward and a chaotic 39-day cameo at Nottingham Forest, plus a brutal finish to his Tottenham tenure that ended in 17th, has dinged his stock. The philosophy still thrills; the risk profile is huge.

5) Edin Terzić

A whisker from a Bundesliga title and 90 minutes from the Champions League crown with Dortmund. If he flips either of those results, he’s everyone’s wonder coach. He left BVB by his own request after the Wembley heartbreak; there’s a coach of substance here, capable of organising a side superbly.

4) Erik ten Hag

Let’s be sensible: the optics of appointing a former Manchester United manager who endured a 7–0 at Anfield are rough. Yet his Ajax body of work was elite, and he did bank silverware at Old Trafford. Tactically astute, development-minded—just not a politically easy sell on Merseyside.

3) Xavi Hernández

Xavi’s Barcelona produced a title-winning blend in 2022–23 and often out-thought Real Madrid. Then came the turbulence, a resignation U-turn and an eventual 2024 sacking. The footballing brain is undeniable, the ideals are clear; whether he’d mesh with Liverpool’s recruitment and intensity is the bigger debate.

2) Jürgen Klopp

Imagine the roar. Klopp restored Liverpool to their perch, lifting both Premier League and Champions League, and chose to step away in January 2024. A return would electrify the place and steady the club’s soul. The only snag: does he want it? If he ever fancies another dance, Anfield would move mountains.

1) Zinedine Zidane

Three Champions Leagues as a manager. Few resumes carry that kind of gravitas. Zidane commanded egos and extracted excellence at Real Madrid, harnessing serial winners to devastating effect. He hasn’t jumped back in since, but if he signals readiness, Liverpool—and half of Europe—would sprint to the table.

The verdict

Liverpool need clarity of direction as much as a big name. If they chase instant authority and dressing-room buy-in, Zidane and Klopp top the wishlist. If they fancy a modern project builder, Motta or Terzić offer the upside. Southgate and Löw bring experience, Rose tactical identity, Rodgers familiarity, Postecoglou fireworks, and Ten Hag a system-first approach. Whatever happens with Slot, the decision must fit the club’s data-led model and Anfield’s relentless standards. Get it right, and the next May parade won’t feel like a relic—more a habit.