Alonso Eyeing Five-Man Attack Blueprint for Liverpool as Slot Faces Axe Talk

Xabi Alonso has apparently earmarked five attacking talents he'd look to construct a Liverpool team around if he takes over at Anfield, according to reports circulating Wednesday.

The Reds' summer spending spree—exceeding £400m—came on the back of Slot's maiden Premier League title win, yet this season has been a far murkier affair. Liverpool sit fifth, a distant 21 points behind Arsenal, the very side they finished ten clear of twelve months ago.

The slip has naturally cranked up the heat on Slot, with whispers of the exit door intensifying in recent weeks. A Brighton reverse at the weekend has compounded matters, dropping the Reds five points behind fourth-place Aston Villa, with Chelsea breathing down their necks just a point back and Brentford plus Everton lurking further behind.

Miguel Delaney's latest dispatch suggested the Liverpool hierarchy remain committed to their manager, citing "numerous mitigating factors" for the season's disappointment and confirming "no current plans to move on." A rather different tale emerged from German outlet Bild, which painted a picture of Slot standing "on the verge of being sacked" with Alonso primed to arrive come summer.

An influential X account boasting over 700,000 followers and composed of five respected reporters struck a starker note entirely. They claimed Slot "needs a miracle to keep his job" past season's end, alleging senior players harbour confusion over his tactical approach. The account went on to detail Alonso's blueprint should he get the nod: constructing his attack centrepiece around Newcastle's Alexander Isak, Eintracht Frankfurt's Hugo Ekitike, and Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz, supplemented by two fresh arrivals in Yan Diomande and Michael Olise.

"Xabi Alonso, if appointed manager at @LFC, wants to build the attack around Isak, Ekitike, Wirtz, Diomande, Olise. This is the ideal plan," the account stated.

When quizzed over the weekend about the speculation swirling around his position, Slot offered a measured response. He acknowledged the logic of elevated expectations following a title triumph and the summer investment—though he corrected the record on spending figures, noting £150m rather than £450m had been deployed.

"But still it's not good enough, no matter how many excuses I can come up with. It's still not good enough in the position we're in right now," the Dutchman conceded.