Luis Enrique’s position regarding a potential move to Liverpool has become more defined amid speculation that he could replace Arne Slot if the Dutch manager is dismissed.
Liverpool’s form has deteriorated sharply — Tuesday’s 4–1 Champions League loss to PSV means they have now been defeated in nine of their last 12 matches in all competitions.
The team has dropped out of the Premier League’s top half and currently sit below rivals Everton, who defeated Manchester United 1–0 earlier in the week.
The upcoming fixtures are expected to be decisive for Slot’s future, with challenging away matches against West Ham and Leeds, followed by a home game against Sunderland on December 2.
Jamie Carragher has warned in The Telegraph that Slot may have only three games to turn things around, arguing that anything fewer than seven points could make his position “untenable.”
Liverpool historically avoid sacking managers mid-season — only Roy Hodgson and Brendan Rodgers have been dismissed early in the past 100 years.
If Slot does lose his job, The Sun reports that the club would first attempt to bring Jürgen Klopp back on an interim basis until the end of the campaign.
For the long term, however, the club is said to view PSG manager Luis Enrique — who guided the French side to their first Champions League title last season — as their preferred option.
Enrique has previously expressed an interest in managing in England. In a 2013 interview with FourFourTwo he said:
“I’d like to manage in England one day… It depends on the team and how they play.”
In that same interview, he praised the style Brendan Rodgers was trying to implement at Liverpool:
“I like how Rodgers tries to get the team playing together, even though his first year at Liverpool has been challenging.”
More recently, Enrique made positive remarks about Liverpool ahead of PSG’s Champions League round-of-16 clash with them last season. PSG progressed on penalties after winning 2–1 at Anfield to level the tie at 2–2. Before the match, he said:
“Liverpool have been one of Europe’s best sides in recent years.
We’re facing the top-performing team in this season’s Champions League. They recently won the trophy.
After the Klopp era, things could have been difficult for Arne Slot, but he’s created a team that presses, defends, and attacks at a high level.
They can build up patiently or counter quickly. They’re a complete team.
