Football

FSG could hire their very own Guardiola at Liverpool

Arne Slot believes he can turn things around at Liverpool.

That shouldn’t be too surprising when considering this is a manager who finished 2024/25 with the newfound reputation as one of the world’s finest coaches.

He had won the Premier League in his first year at the club. His first year standing where Jurgen Klopp stood. It was an unenviable task, but he passed it with flying colours, not only winning the title, but with a ten-point buffer over second-place Arsenal – and that having relaxed standards toward the end, so imperious was their advantage.

Whether Liverpool stick or twist will be dependent on a number of variables. Say a late-season turnaround yields silverware in either the FA Cup or Champions League, and confidence is rediscovered in the top flight, then FSG would be reluctant to part ways.

But Liverpool have a somewhat unique opportunity to appoint one of the best coaches around this summer. In fact, they have a number of options.

FSG’s manager shortlist at Liverpool

Outwardly, FSG sources have maintained their faith in Slot’s leadership at Anfield, but the reality is that successors have been earmarked is inescapable.

Xabi Alonso is the frontrunner – in the mind of the fanbase, at the very least.

But whether he is the right man for this crop of Liverpool players is another question, and with that in mind, the Merseysiders might want to explore a different option.

Luis Enrique‘s position at Paris Saint-Germain is uncertain, his contract set to expire in just over a year. Reports from November, when Liverpool were at their lowest ebb, revealed that he was FSG’s top target.

Manchester United are also interested, so if this is going to be a realistic option, groundwork will need to be put in soon – else he could extend his stay at the Parc des Princes.

Why Luis Enrique is perfect for Liverpool

FSG’s real stance will only become clear after the fact. When a decision has been finalised on Slot’s position, fans will know about it, but if push does come to shove in that regard, Enrique could be the perfect appointment.

Alonso is the most exciting, almost romantic pick, but his preference to field a three-man defence is something that FSG and Liverpool don’t align with. It is one of the reasons that Slot was picked over Ruben Amorim after Klopp announced he would be standing down.

Xabi Alonso’s Managerial Record
Leverkusen	#	Real Madrid
140	Matches	34
89	Wins	24
32	Draws	4
19	Losses	6
2.14	PPM	2.24

Moreover, his time with Real Madrid for the first half of the current campaign hardly went off without a hitch, resulting in him leaving the role in January, after less than eight months in charge. He was sacked, in all honesty.

Of course, the Spaniard immortalised himself with Bayer Leverkusen beforehand, and he remains one of the most exciting coaches in the world, a pupil of Pep Guardiola, but Enrique could fit the Liverpool mould and help shape an illustrious new era at the club.

Enrique, 55, rivals Pep for the reputation as the best coach in world football. His football is defined by short, sharp passing, intense pressure and a focus on domination in the attacking third.

In 2013, Enrique said that he would “like to manage in England one day.” That goal hasn’t yet come to fruition, but Man United’s interest and the fact that his contractual situation in Paris remains unresolved could accelerate Liverpool’s interest.

This is, after all, one of the world’s finest managers, the Spaniard hailed for his “world-class” tactical and coaching skills by The Athletic’s Colin Millar.

In 2025, he achieved greatness with PSG, as he had already done years before at the Barcelona helm. There are similarities, in that regard, to Guardiola’s own journey with Manchester City, and if Liverpool were to land this elite coach this summer, perhaps they would get their mitts on a manager who would sustain a period of dominance in England.

After all, this squad is one of the most talented in Europe, and they should be competing for the biggest prizes.