EXCL: Why Slot can succeed where Ten Hag failed, potential Liverpool centre-back targets, plus thoughts on Darwin Nunez rumours

This week's exclusive column on all things Liverpool FC...

How Arne Slot moved into pole position for the Liverpool job as announcement imminent

It is just a matter of time now before Arne Slot is confirmed as Liverpool’s next manager, with everything agreed between both the clubs and the man himself. 

For me, it is a very interesting appointment, and one which speaks both of the lack of truly outstanding candidates available at this stage, as well as Liverpool’s willingness to take a risk.

As soon as Jurgen Klopp announced his intention to step down, and even before then, the Reds were working round-the-clock to identify the right replacement. From the outset, they insisted that it would be a thorough and private process, led to a large degree by the club’s data department. 

Xabi Alonso, I understand, was always considered a strong candidate, but Liverpool always felt there was a chance he would either choose to stay at Bayer Leverkusen or be tempted by a move elsewhere (Bayern Munich). As it happened, he went for the former option.

Ruben Amorim was strongly linked, and is understood to have shown up well during the due diligence process, but sources always insisted that the suggestion that he was a ‘preferred’ candidate was incorrect, and as I believe it, discussions never reached an advanced stage. The same can be said for any number of other candidates - Roberto De Zerbi, Gary O’Neil, Unai Emery.