Copyright Yardbarker
Liverpool have reportedly paused negotiations over a major contract renewal at Anfield amid the Reds’ dramatic slump in form. Arne Slot’s team have now lost six of their last seven games in all competitions after a much-changed line-up fell to a 3-0 defeat at home to Crystal Palace in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night. A few weeks ago, the Daily Express reported (via Sky Sports) that the Dutchman’s agent is working with the LFC hierarchy on an agreement to extend the head coach’s stay at the club beyond June 2027, and Dean Jones recently claimed that talks over a new deal for the 47-year-old are ‘expected to become more active’ throughout the season. However, with no let-up in Liverpool’s depressing run of form, a former Everton CEO has said that negotiations over a contract extension for Slot have duly been paused, but stopped short of claiming that the Dutchman’s job is in danger. Liverpool pause negotiations over new contract for Slot Keith Wyness told Football Insider‘s Inside Track podcast: “We’ve been talking about Slot’s contract renegotiation and how those things can often slow down. Well, reports are coming out that negotiations have been put on hold. “He will know himself, he’s not in a great position to negotiate a new contract at this moment. I think that’s as far as it would go though. I don’t think there’s any real pressure on him at the moment. “If this bad form in the Premier League were to carry on for another four games, then I think we might see some sort of real concern. There’s quality in that squad, and he’s got to get them firing. “It’s not a terminal problem, and I think they can get it right, and you would expect them to turn it around. I don’t think there’s an issue. I think it’s a blip and I expect them, as I say, to start to get in some form.” Slot shouldn’t be in danger of losing his job at present Fabrizio Romano reported earlier this week that Slot continues to have the full backing of the Liverpool hierarchy, and although talks over a new contract appear to be parked amid the shocking results of late, the likelihood of a sudden sacking still seems low. It’s not unheard of for a coach to lose his job in the season after winning the Premier League – it happened to Claudio Ranieri at Leicester and Jose Mourinho at Chelsea – but the Reds have tended to be much more patient with managers than many other clubs. The Dutchman has faced criticism over team selections, tactics, signings and substititions in the past month, plenty of it justified, but it’d be madness to jettison the man who oversaw an emphatic top-flight title triumph only a few months ago just because of one (admittedly lengthy) poor run of form. If Liverpool were to suddenly jolt back into life with positive results against Aston Villa, Real Madrid and Manchester City in the next fortnight, the hyperbolic speculation over Slot’s job security would quickly dissipate, though of course we realise it’d become even more intense if things go the other way. The 47-year-old needs to halt the losing run quickly if he’s to quieten the naysayers, but he still deserves our backing to instigate a turnaround and hopefully reduce this October to nothing more than an unpleasant memory, just as Jurgen Klopp did with the Reds’ awful start to 2017.
