Liverpool are reportedly poised to sack manager Arne Slot if a particular condition is met, yet the financial cost of such a move is expected to be substantial.
Slot finds himself under immense pressure at the Merseyside club following a disheartening 4-1 defeat to PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League group stages. This marks Liverpool’s ninth defeat in their last 12 matches across all competitions. A spectacular collapse for a side that lifted their 20th Premier League title last season has seen them tumble into the bottom half of the league standings, exit the Carabao Cup, and slip down the Champions League group table.
With an urgent need to reverse their fortunes, Liverpool face West Ham United at the London Stadium on Sunday. Dutch pundit and former international Wim Kieft believes that if Slot’s Liverpool fail to turn the tide with “two or three more poor results,” his compatriot’s tenure may come to an abrupt end.
“Liverpool’s performances against Nottingham Forest and PSV were astonishingly poor,” Kieft commented. “Even the talented Arne Slot seems unable to halt the decline. It is conceivable that he could be dismissed after just a couple more negative outcomes.”
Spanish outlet Fichajes reports that Liverpool’s board will ‘sack Slot immediately’ if the Reds suffer two further defeats, with their resolve indicating that continuation down the current path would be unsustainable.
Any dismissal would come with financial ramifications. Slot’s contract with Liverpool includes a termination clause stipulating a £10 million payout if he is let go prematurely, an amount equating to approximately €11.5 million. This financial burden has been a critical factor in the club’s decision-making process. However, the Liverpool hierarchy recognises that prolonging the present instability could prove more costly than the compensation itself.
The situation at Anfield remains tense, as fans and the board alike watch intently for an immediate response from a team desperately searching for its footing.