Liverpool's Shocking Twist: Could Klopp Return to Lead the Reds Until the Season's End?

Drama at Anfield

Liverpool could turn to their former coach Jurgen Klopp in a dramatic move if Arne Slot is dismissed, according to English press.

Klopp, 58, who left the club in the summer of 2024 after a historic spell, has resurfaced as a surprising candidate to lead the team on a temporary basis, according to The Sun, should Anfield’s owners lose faith in his Dutch successor amid a string of poor results.

Although Klopp currently serves as head of global football at the Red Bull group, any potential return would be for the remainder of the season, while management reportedly eyes Paris Saint-Germain coach Louis Enrique as a longer-term option.

Despite enormous pressure, Slot maintains he still has the backing of the owners, even after a brutal run of 9 defeats in the last 12 games, the latest a 4-1 loss to Eindhoven in the Champions League—the club’s worst stretch since 1953-54.

The Sun claimed internal talks were held over concerns Slot had begun to lose control of the dressing room, particularly after spending 426 million pounds in the summer transfer window, as the team collapsed from champions to what the paper described as “clowns.”

Board members are reportedly preparing for the worst-case scenario, including Klopp’s name resurfacing, a move that would mark a dramatic return for the man who ended Liverpool’s league title drought in 2020.

Although there was talk of changing the manager being frozen until early next year, another defeat—especially to West Ham on Sunday—could push the owners to act, amid growing fan anger after Wednesday’s match.

American owners, with a strong financial focus, worry that missing next season’s Champions League would cost the club up to 53 million pounds.

Additionally, tough trips to Inter and Marseille loom, and failure to navigate these rounds would intensify the crisis.

Slot, addressing reporters ahead of the West Ham fixture, outlined his discussions with the owners and his stance on the team’s decline.

Liverpool currently sit 12th in the Premier League after 12 games, with 6 wins and 6 losses, scoring 18 and conceding 20. In the Champions League, they are 13th with 9 points from 5 games, having won 3 and lost 2, scoring 10 and conceding 8.

Slot reassures that talks with the owners would continue and that the club will keep fighting, insisting the emphasis should be on the team rather than individuals.

Asked if he feels anger toward the players for the recent results, Slot said he does not, stressing that standards have not matched their usual level but that improvement is possible.

The Dutch coach added that last season, when the team performed well, the focus was on the group; if form dips, the group—not individuals—must drive improvement.

When asked what he might change, Slot admitted it isn’t easy to pinpoint a tweak, suggesting that perhaps a bit more attention to match-specific decisions could help after a loss.

Ultimately, he argued the club must keep fighting, acknowledging there are solid parts of their play, even if the overall performance hasn’t met expectations.

Jones must apply what he says—Slot commented on Curtis Jones’ remarks after the Eindhoven defeat, noting that the players did try to implement it yesterday. He added that running data were high, but results did not follow.

He continued: if the players bring that energy to games as a collective, the minimum expectation is that they fight; there is a shared vision on how to exit this situation.

Slot also reflected on morale, noting there were difficult moments in the 10 minutes after a rough stretch, and that it wasn’t the moment when the team’s fighting spirit was at its best.

Punchlines: If Klopp returns, the only thing louder than the Kop might be the sound of the calendar updating itself. And if all else fails, at least we’ll have a season-long plot twist sharper than any tactical board next to the dugout.