That Liverpool agonised over the sacking of Arne Slot underlined the extent to which those in charge knew that the Dutchman wasn’t entirely to blame for last season’s problems.

As far as they were concerned, the woeful 2025-26 campaign owed just as much to a squad that will require serious remodelling in order to give Andoni Iraola the best possible chance of success.

And it is understood that one of the priorities of that upcoming reshuffle is right-back, a position that gave Slot a constant headache during his final months in charge.

Between the season-ending knee injury suffered by Conor Bradley during a goalless draw with Arsenal in January and Jeremie Frimpong’s constant muscle issues, the Reds were denied a consistent option in that position last term.

That meant duties on the right-hand side of defence being shared between Joe Gomez, Dominik Szoboszlai, Calvin Ramsay and Curtis Jones, with nobody truly nailing down a place.

Fortunately, senior Anfield figures insist they have learned lessons from that, and so will take steps to ensure their head coach does not face a similar scramble for solutions in any position next time around.

When it comes to right-back specifically, that will be made infinitely easier by the availability of Bradley, who is understood to be targeting a return to training shortly after the new season starts.

That said, Liverpool will take a cautious approach with the Northern Ireland international after such a lengthy lay-off, easing him back in in the hope of avoiding further setbacks.

And while that could lead to more minutes for Frimpong, he has always privately been billed as an opportunistic signing whose usefulness comes in being dipped in and out of the team in various positions.

As such, you sense there is no desire for him to be a regular starter for an extended period, as he might be should Bradley suffer any issues upon returning.

It is also acknowledged that Liverpool lack an obvious internal solution on the right in the mould of left-siders Owen Beck, Luke Chambers and Calum Scanlon, who have all picked up recent loan experience.

So, the Reds know they are going to have to dip in the market, even if quite what they will go for is not nailed down just yet.

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The feeling that Liverpool and Andoni Iraola are a match made in heaven is only strengthened by the fact that his appointment as head coach marks the end of a pursuit that began over a decade ago.

At that point, the Reds were keen to snap up Iraola the right-back, who had established himself as a standout in La Liga with Athletic Bilbao.

But a move never materialised, with the Basque preferring to instead spend the entirety of his career (bar a pre-retirement stint in New York) with the club that so proudly represents the region he calls home.

Still, Liverpool continued to watch on with admiration as Iraola took his first steps into coaching, and have been sufficiently impressed by stints at Rayo Vallecano and Bournemouth to finally go and get their man.

That, it is understood, owes much to the Jurgen Klopp-like, aggressive style of play he espouses, an approach the Reds were determined to return to after losing their way somewhat under Arne Slot.

This commitment to a philosophy more inkeeping with modern Liverpool meant the former Spain international quickly rose to the top of a shortlist that also featured Stuttgart’s Sebastian Hoeness and Lens’ Pierre Sage.

As such, he was the only candidate who entered into one-to-one talks, and is said to have significantly boosted his chances by making clear that Anfield was his “first, second and last choice”.

The contrast with his former teammate in youth football, Xabi Alonso, who was not quite as keen when the Reds came calling two years ago, could not be clearer.

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The most obvious indication that the Liverpool hierarchy were not entirely sold on Arne Slot came in the immediate aftermath of last season’s Premier League title win.

Fenway Sports Group had previously shown what it looked like when they possessed full faith in their manager, handing Jurgen Klopp an improved six-year contract less than 10 months after his appointment despite silverware having still to be secured.

Yet Slot, who had just delivered a long-awaited league title that could be celebrated in front of supporters, was - rather tellingly - allowed to go into the second year of a three-year deal after giving Anfield one of its most memorable days.

Of course, he had doubtless shown plenty to be encouraged by in those first 12 months, earning praise behind the scenes for bringing a calmer mood to the AXA Training Centre after an intense few years.

That was also reflected on the pitch in a more relaxed style of play that, early on at least, offered more control thanks to clever tweaks such as using Ryan Gravenberch in the holding role.

These changes led to the Reds winning 23 of their first 27 games in Slot’s debut season, proof that those in charge had done a pretty good job of finding an ideal plug-and-play successor for Klopp.

However, it is at that point that cracks started to appear, suggesting the Dutchman might in fact not be the ideal long-term fit.

Following the turn of the year, Slot oversaw 15 wins, six draws and eight defeats and, while the final four games of the season can perhaps be dismissed given the title was secured, there were obvious frailties on show.

Opponents seemed to have quickly worked out that being physical, going long, and denying any space with a deep defence meant Liverpool struggled badly.

That weakness was particularly pronounced in the League Cup final defeat to Newcastle, as well as the final trip to face Everton at Goodison Park.

There were also questions quietly being asked behind the scenes over whether an inability to compete as well late in the season owed anything to the manager’s approach to training.

When Liverpool were researching potential Klopp replacements, one of the most appealing aspects of Slot was his ability to keep players fit at Feyenoord, something he initially replicated at Anfield.

But it eventually emerged that this ‘superpower’ owed everything to training at a lower intensity, resulting in fewer muscle injuries but also players who could not cope with the rigours of a Premier League season.

Unsurprisingly, the players initially welcomed this, particularly in contrast to the regimented approach of former head of fitness and conditioning Andreas Kornmayer.

However, any decision that leads to more defeats and criticism won’t stay popular for long, and it is clear that the next head coach will train with greater intensity.

In this context, Slot’s complaints that his players could not compete across three games a week fell on deaf ears given it was his job to ensure that could be the case.

By way of mitigation, it was often suggested by supporters that the tragic passing of Diogo Jota had wrecked the most recent pre-season entirely, but that was always played down by those who had been close to the camps.

Instead, there was a feeling that key details were being ignored, not only relating to fitness but also set-pieces, which played a key role in damaging the first half of the season.

Of course, those above Slot also deserve their share of the blame for that, having handed Aaron Briggs the role before being forced to sack him.

But the head coach still needed to do more to prepare, and the fact that two goals were given away from throw-in situations in an April defeat to Manchester City showed that lessons weren’t being learned.

Elsewhere, academy staff were privately sharing frustration that Slot did not seem to be immersing himself in all things Liverpool, rarely paying attention to goings-on there.

And it could be argued that this attitude was reflected in the training schedule he implemented, frequent holidays, and the fact his family remained in the Netherlands.

Even if those criticisms could be considered unfair given Liverpool won the league in similar conditions, Slot did not seem to understand quite how important perceptions are at a club of this size.

As much could be seen from his constant references to Paris Saint-Germain - a great team, but still a relative minnow in European terms - and recently suggesting that reaching a Champions League quarter-final was a huge achievement.

That should never be the target for a club with six European Cups to their name and who had reached three finals in five years with Klopp at the helm.

And this feeling that the gravity of the job was being misunderstood was compounded by one of Slot’s staff being spotted laughing with friends on the Anfield pitch after a 1-1 draw with Tottenham in March - arguably the nadir of a woeful season.

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For Liverpool fans, the end of a disappointing season means all focus has immediately turned to a summer window they hope can transform the fortunes of Arne Slot’s first team.

But those behind the scenes at Anfield have to take a longer-term view of the pursuit of success, as recent activity has proved.

To that end, the Reds are closing in on a deal for Colombia U17 international Samuel Martinez, who will be able to officially join when he turns 18 in April of next year.

It is privately acknowledged that Liverpool have been weaker than many of their Premier League rivals in the South American youth market in recent years, a fact partly attributed to others’ involvement in multi-club operations.

But, even with plans to create such a setup having been shelved by Fenway Sports Group, the hope is to be more aggressive in recruiting from that part of the world going forward.

They are also keen to be equally front-footed closer to home, and are soon set to bolster their U18 ranks with the signing of long-term target Dara Jikiemi, whose contract at Celtic expires this summer.

Teenage striker Michael Mulholland, who once scored 256 goals in a single season of youth football, will also arrive from Northern Irish club Crusaders.

Meanwhile, Hertha Berlin midfielder Kennet Eichhorn may be added to the list at a later date, with the Reds among several clubs trying to strike a deal that would be activated when he turns 18.

Insiders explain that this shift in recruitment policy owes much to a change in Liverpool’s standing since FSG arrived as owners back in October 2010.

Early in their tenure, all available cash was being pointed at a first team that needed to be restored as a genuine force in European football in order to end its wait for Premier League and Champions League titles.

Now, the Reds have reestablished themselves at the top table, contributing to soaring revenues that can be ploughed into other areas - including capturing the biggest talents in world football.

As previously detailed here, that process is being overseen by the club’s director of global talent Matt Newberry.

He is also understood to be aided in some aspects by FSG’s director of football development, Pedro Marques, who previously played a key role in turning Benfica into a renowned developer of young footballers.

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Liverpool signed off a dismal season by securing Champions League football courtesy of a 1-1 draw with Brentford at an emotional Anfield.

On a day dominated by goodbyes for Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson, the hosts saw Curtis Jones’ opener cancelled out as they earned a share of the spoils.

And this latest post-match podcast …

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Bournemouth’s draw with Manchester City on Tuesday evening means Liverpool’s place in next season’s Champions League is all but secured.

Only an improbably large goal difference swing on the Premier League’s final day could change things - though some might say that would be a fitting (and deserved) ending to this campaign for the Reds.

And that means that the club can start to make plans for what comes next, including in the dugout.

That the minimum aim of Champions League qualification has been achieved is only likely to strengthen Fenway Sports Group’s resolve regarding their desire to stick with Arne Slot.

That won’t be a popular decision, and not just in online spaces, with loyal, matchgoing fans having clearly lost patience of late.

It is also a risk given that it is not difficult to imagine things turning toxic at the first sign of a setback next season.

Still, this stance is effectively a declaration from Slot’s superiors that it is they who deserve the majority of the blame for this forgettable campaign.

As such, it is crucial that they fully correct their errors by ensuring that the Dutchman has no excuses available to him next time around.

Key to that will be a summer window that has to be flawless in completing a squad that, it eventually transpired, was left half-finished last year.

This season, Slot has frequently cited the inability of his new additions to cope with the intensity of a campaign comprising both Premier League and Champions League commitments.

If he is once again given signings that require a lengthy adaptation period, then making it past the November international break will be a challenge.

As for the positions that need tweaking, they are fairly obvious if this team’s many issues aren’t going to be solved by a change in tactics.

Woefully short in attack, Liverpool have run the rule over both Yan Diomande and Bradley Barcola (among others) as they prepare to make additions in that area.

With Mohamed Salah set to be joined by Federico Chiesa in departing and Hugo Ekitike sidelined, the key here is for the Reds to ensure they end up with sufficient options for a gruelling campaign.

It is a similar story in midfield, where Curtis Jones looks set for an exit having been underused and underappreciated.

He could well be joined by Alexis Mac Allister, whose physical decline has played a major part in the team’s struggles and is likely irreversible, but doesn’t seem to have put off clubs in less demanding leagues.

Should both leave, then Liverpool must pick wisely from heavily scouted options such as Adam Wharton, Lamine Camara and Mamadou Sangare.

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Liverpool's pursuit of Champions League qualification could go to the final day of the season after they were thumped 4-2 by Aston Villa.

Arne Slot's side put in another woeful performance as they were deservedly beaten in Birmingham, collapsing entirely in the second half.

And this latest post-match podcast puts forward the ar…

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For Liverpool fans hoping to see a change in the dugout this summer, the fact the club continue to privately claim that Arne Slot’s job is safe rightly means little.

Ultimately, even if a sacking were planned, there would be no benefit to privately undermining your head coach when Champions League qualification is still to be secured.

Furthermore, football is littered with enough examples of the vote of confidence being swiftly followed by a dismissal to know that it would be foolish to read too much into Fenway Sports Group’s public position.

However, the bad news for the Slot sceptics is that there are other strong indicators that the club are prepared to follow through on their oft-briefed desire to back the Dutchman.

And chief among them is the lack of noise regarding the pursuit of an alternative head coach during a period that would be crucial to lining up any appointment.

This inaction is best exemplified by an apparent reluctance to get involved in the race for Xabi Alonso’s signature, despite the former midfielder now being courted by Premier League rivals Chelsea.

A former Anfield favourite, the Spaniard has long been considered by many supporters to be the ideal candidate should Liverpool make a change.

Yet even during Slot’s lowest moments, the club have never given off the impression that they themselves are as desperate to appoint him.

The Reds were keen to talk to Alonso when the process of replacing Jurgen Klopp began, but did not get the chance to do so after being quickly rebuffed in favour of another year at Bayer Leverkusen.

As such, it is impossible to know how highly he might have featured on any final shortlist, or whether that standing has shifted in the years since.

It is, of course, unlikely that a brief stint in the Real Madrid madhouse has harmed Alonso’s standing with recruitment staff, while claims that an alleged preference for a back three have put Liverpool off do not stand up to scrutiny given he has used different formations outside Germany.

However, what is clear is that the club do not view Alonso as the slam dunk appointment he is widely touted as, or they simply would not be allowing this opportunity to pass them by.

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Liverpool endured another forgettable afternoon as they were held to a 1-1 draw by struggling Chelsea at Anfield.

And this latest setback was poorly received by home fans who seem to have reached breaking point during a difficult season.

As such, this latest post-match podcast discusses their reaction at full-time and throughou…

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If the midfield is truly the heart of a football team, then it is perhaps no surprise that Liverpool have faltered so badly in a season in which their centre has proven soft.

Too easily passed through, bullied in duels, and unable to consistently control matches; the Reds’ engine room is a far cry from the well-oiled machine that proved foundational to Premier League success 12 months ago.

And it is for that reason that this summer’s second stage of an ongoing squad rebuild will, in part, focus on that vital area of the pitch.

Having signed a new six-year contract in March, Ryan Gravenberch is set to remain a key figure in any new-look midfield.

Still, Arne Slot must consider how to get the 23-year-old back to his best having seen his numbers for tackles, interceptions and recoveries plummet amid a complication of his role this term.

More must also be expected of Florian Wirtz, who has only occasionally sparkled during a debut campaign that has only been made tougher by the countless issues around him.

Fortunately, there are no such concerns over the season’s star man Dominik Szoboszlai, beyond the fact that the Reds have yet to make a breakthrough in attempts to tie him down to a new deal.

However, any certainty over next year’s options starts and ends with that trio, with major changes possible elsewhere.

Contract talks with Curtis Jones are understood to have effectively ceased, and it is known that he was open to a January move to Inter Milan before his boyhood club shut the door.

The Reds would bank pure profit on the midfielder under the Premier League’s new squad cost ratio rules, but replacing the sort of versatile, committed and homegrown player that can be crucial to major silverware will not be easy.

There is no doubt that the 25-year-old’s desire for more minutes will be cited should he leave as expected but, unlike in the case of Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departure, Liverpool will not be entirely blameless when it comes to this latest loss of a hugely talented academy graduate.

Ultimately, they must ask whether Jones would have been quite so eager to leave had he not been so often unfairly kept out of the side by players whose form did not merit it this season.

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Liverpool suffered a 19th defeat of the season as they were beaten 3-2 by Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Dominik Szoboszlai and Cody Gakpo had dragged the visitors back level from two goals down, but Kobbie Mainoo's late finish claimed the points.

And so this was another game that underlined both the positives and negative…

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After their team won the first ever Merseyside derby contested at the Hill Dickinson Stadium to take a major step towards Champions League qualification, Liverpool fans probably could not have imagined their Sunday getting much better.

But then Ibrahima Konate elected to make a rare stop in the mixed zone after the game in order to deliver a long-awaited update on his precarious contract situation.

Speaking to reporters, the Frenchman said: “There are many things people have said but for a long time we have spoken with the club and we are close to an agreement. I think everyone wished for that for as long as possible.

“For sure there is a big chance I’m here next season. This is what I always wanted. I’m waiting to sort the contract but when everything is sorted you will have to ask Richard (Hughes) what I said to him in September, November and he’s going to say something to make everyone quiet.”

After it was reported on these pages less than three weeks ago, this was official confirmation that a positive conclusion is finally in sight.

Of course there may, in fact, be some differing opinions on whether that is good news and, in being something of a microcosm of Konate’s season as a whole, Sunday’s game served to show why.

To steal an Arne Slot description of the defender, he was once again at the ‘scene of the crime’ for Everton’s equaliser; too slow and casual in closing down Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, allowing the midfielder time to cross for Beto to poke home.

As a centre-half, it is tricky to shake off the fact that you were involved in the concession of a goal.

But, while there was a lively debate among local reporters at full-time regarding how Konate had fared against Everton, should that one moment completely colour how his performance was viewed?

The fact is, with the Toffees targeting his side of the pitch, the 26-year-old made the second most defensive contributions (14) of any player - only trailing Curtis Jones’ frankly ridiculous 28.

And how many times did his front-footedness turn the hosts’ attempts to play off Beto or Thierno Barry into Liverpool possession?

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Virgil van Dijk's last-gasp goal earned Liverpool a crucial 2-1 win over Everton on Sunday.

In the first Merseyside derby contested at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, a 100th-minute header proved the difference.

And this latest post-match podcast posits that goal and a battling performance were huge not only for the club's Champion…

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The difficulty of unpicking the reasons behind Liverpool’s struggles this season was underlined by a point made by Arne Slot in his post-match press conference following defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday.

Lamenting his side’s failure to score a goal that could have ignited the tie, the Dutchman said: “Again, we were so underperforming in terms of xG and that is just an ongoing thing with us throughout the whole season.”

Slot had a point given that, on the night, the Reds generated 1.97xG and yet still could not breach Matvey Safonov’s goal even once.

He was also perhaps right to say this applied to the campaign as a whole because, in the Champions League this term, only Atalanta have a bigger xG underperformance than Liverpool’s 5.77 goals.

However, as with everything relating to this team this season, the problems run a little deeper than what, on the surface, seems like sheer bad luck.

And as much was evident even during this seemingly competent attacking performance against the reigning European champions.

Yes, Liverpool generated 1.97xG, but it is worth noting that they did so from 21 shots - an unimpressive xG per shot of 0.09.

That suggests PSG were, on the whole, doing a good job of ensuring that the vast majority of their opponents’ efforts on goal came from less dangerous positions.

And this has been something that plenty of the teams the Reds have faced this season have enjoyed success with.

In the Premier League this year, Liverpool are second only to Manchester United in terms of generating shots with 505.

Yet 12 sides have a better xG per shot than their 0.1, and they are sixth for carving out Opta-defined big chances.

Slot’s men have also scored 52 goals from 52.65xG in the league, which suggests that variance in finishing is not the reason for their issues, despite the manager’s claims.

Of course, that is not to say there is no mitigation for their struggles in attack this season, with the absence of one of the world’s best centre-forwards in Alexander Isak far from helpful.

The decline of Mohamed Salah after almost a decade of brilliance has also clearly taken a huge toll.

However, it is fair to ask - as many have - whether Slot should have been better able to make accommodations for the Egyptian’s diminished pace.

The head coach’s inability to consistently get the best out of Florian Wirtz and Cody Gakpo, among others, has also been a worrying storyline this season.

Liverpool at least plan to make things easier for that pair by bringing in fresh blood this summer, with sources confirming it is possible that two players capable of featuring out wide will be added.

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Liverpool crashed out of the Champions League as they suffered a 2-0 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.

But this was a much-improved performance from Arne Slot's side, who looked set to turn things around before being hit by a suckerpunch late on.

As such, this post-match podcast focuses on asking why we haven’t seen more of this t…

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Liverpool took control of the race for Champions League qualification with a much-needed 2-0 win over Fulham at Anfield.

Goals from Mohamed Salah and Rio Ngumoha helped Arne Slot's side end a three-game losing streak and offer some hope after abysmal recent performances.

And this latest post-match podcast opines that the head c…

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After each of Liverpool’s 17 defeats this season, fierce debate has raged among supporters regarding the causes.

Many fans have a favourite issue to pin every failing on, often tending to be entrenched in that singular view.

And fortunately for those involved, whether you prefer to blame the manager, the sporting director, or the players, this wretched campaign has provided plenty of evidence to support your view.

However, it should be acknowledged that Liverpool cannot afford for one of these positions to be proven right if they are to turn things around any time soon.

That is the idea that this collection of players simply isn’t capable of offering more than they currently are.

There certainly looked to be a kernel of truth in that claim as the Reds fell to defeat in Paris on Wednesday, with several summer signings making little impact.

For example, Hugo Ekitike lost two thirds of his duels and completed just 59% of his passes as he was swallowed up by the PSG defence.

The Frenchman is still only 23 years of age and has enjoyed a fine debut season on the whole, but he is also clearly not the finished article at this level and needs to show more.

Alongside him, Florian Wirtz was similarly ineffective, putting in another quiet performance that supported the view that his influence has somewhat tailed off in recent weeks.

It was hoped that his arrival in a £116m deal would close the gap in games like this, but he could only provide glimpses of quality - as has been the story of his campaign as a whole.

Meanwhile, Alexander Isak’s return to action represented a boost, but his injury history was a worry even before he effectively sat out his first season at Anfield.

The problems were not just restricted to summer additions, either, with previously reliable stars such as Ryan Gravenberch and Ibrahima Konate struggling.

One of those players recently signed a new long-term deal, and it is understood that discussions over the other doing the same are now advancing towards a conclusion after an initial impasse.

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Liverpool's Champions League hopes were dealt a serious blow as they suffered a deserved 2-0 defeat to PSG in Paris.

Goals from Desire Doue and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia ensured the holders took a big step towards the semi-finals.

And this latest post-match podcast discusses whether the performance showed that the gap between the…

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Liverpool's FA Cup journey ended in a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Manchester City on Saturday.

An Erling Haaland hat-trick and goal from Antoine Semenyo condemned Arne Slot's men to a 15th defeat of the season.

And this latest post-match podcast argues that the nature of the result and performance have piled even more pressur…

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When Liverpool completed a British record deal to sign Alexander Isak last summer, it was hard to shake the feeling that senior figures were doing all they could to play down its significance.

For starters, the club’s media team were notably restrained in the content they offered up given this was a £125m addition, while it was also unusually difficult for reporters to get anyone at the AXA Training Centre to offer much detail regarding the move.

Of course, this discreet approach owed everything to the contentious nature of the Swede’s departure from Newcastle, who had begun the summer believing they would hold onto a player with three years remaining on his contract.

As far as Liverpool were concerned, there was little desire to rub salt in the wounds after coming out on top in what proved to be a fractious battle, or indeed set themselves up for a fall should the signing fail.

And it is that latter concern which looks particularly prescient now, with Isak having managed 16 appearances, 781 minutes, and just three goals across a debut campaign that has two months remaining.

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