(Credit: Imago, Getty)

Ciaran Morrison

Fri 20 March 2026 19:00, UK

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Liverpool should hire Xabi Alonso to become their next manager with supporters turning on Arne Slot.

That is according to ex-Everton, Aston Villa, and Aberdeen chief executive Keith Wyness, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, as Slot could face the sack at Anfield at the end of the season.

Slot won the Premier League title during his first season at the club, but the Reds could miss out on Champions League qualification this campaign.

That comes after a huge transfer spend last summer, including the £125million addition of Alexander Isak, with scrutiny having increased on Slot’s leadership and tactics.

Former Real Madrid boss Alonso is a favourite to replace Slot as Liverpool manager, with the Spaniard having also enjoyed five years as a player at Anfield.

Xabi Alonso Liverpool return ‘makes sense’

Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – believes now is the time for Alonso to return to Merseyside.

Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast, Wyness think’s Slot’s “experiment” at the club has failed.

He told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “I’m thinking that this may be the time for Xabi Alonso to come back onto the scene and be the name that Liverpool fans are going to be looking for.

“It would make sense to me because I don’t think Arne’s flight experiment has worked. Look, he won the league, we know that, but he really did it with Jurgen’s [Klopp] team. There was no real ins and outs at that time.

“It was a stable group that were there. And I think when he had his own imprint on things, some things have gone against him. And so I’m afraid it looks like the music is going against Arne from the Kop.”

Liverpool chief could make Saudi exit

Sources have told Football Insider that Liverpool’s sporting director Richard Hughes is a candidate to join Saudi club Al-Ahli.

Hughes’ position is under scrutiny due to last summer’s transfer spend, and the lack of successful signings which have improved the squad.

Al-Ahli are looking to appoint a new director of football, and Hughes is one of three people they are considering for the role.