Liverpool 'approach' for Arne Slot alternative emerges amid Man Utd and Juventus interest

It looks to be a matter of when, not if, Arne Slot is named as Liverpool’s manager. A deal for the Feyenoord boss to succeed Jürgen Klopp is expected to be finalized soon, with confirmation potentially arriving before this weekend’s game against Tottenham.

Slot’s appointment will end what has been a long process since Klopp’s shock announcement back in January. Since then, a whole host of names have been touted to take over at Anfield.

Xabi Alonso was the early favorite, with the former midfielder’s ties to Liverpool and his sterling work in leading Bayer Leverkusen to the Bundesliga title making him the first-choice among many supporters. The 42-year-old, though, ruled himself out earlier this year, leading the search elsewhere.

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Rúben Amorim was the next to head the list, while Roberto De Zerbi remained close behind. Liverpool though now looks to have its man, with the situation moving quickly after Slot was installed as the new favorite last month.

The search, led by FSG’s CEO of football Michael Edwards, has been thorough, with Slot seemingly fitting Liverpool’s profile better than Amorim. That’s not to say he was the only option the Reds had on their cards.

According to Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, Liverpool also made an inquiry about Bologna boss Thiago Motta, along with Manchester United and Porto. Juventus looks to be the favorite to secure his services, with Motta expected to make a decision at the end of the season.

The former Barcelona midfielder has impressed since taking charge of Bologna in 2022. He is on course to lead his side to an unexpected spot in next season’s Champions League, leading the likes of Roma, Atalanta and Lazio in the race for the top four in Serie A.

Liverpool could well come up against Motta next season in Europe, although it seems it might be with him in charge of Juventus instead. It will be interesting to see whether he can carry his success over to one of the continent’s biggest clubs.

Liverpool.com says: Motta would have been an interesting choice to succeed Klopp. Clearly, his reputation is growing at Bologna, although would a single top-four finish be enough to earmark him for a club looking to push for the Premier League title?

The Liverpool job may therefore have come a little too early for him, and Slot’s success at Feyenoord has perhaps given him the edge. It will be interesting to see how Motta does at Juventus though if he does take over in Turin.