Former Everton CEO Keith Wyness has sensationally claimed that Arne Slott will be sacked if Liverpool fail to qualify for next season’s Champions League.
The warning came after Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Brighton left the reigning Premier League champions’ top-five hopes on the line.
Despite winning the title in his debut season, Slott’s second season was marred by inconsistency.
Defeat at the Amex Stadium left Liverpool in fifth place, one point behind Chelsea, with Danny Welbeck’s brace canceling out Milos Kerkes’ equalizer.
Keith Wyness talks about Arn Slott’s future
Speaking on Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, Wyness highlighted the dire financial implications of failing to compete in Europe’s elite competition.
He suggested that Anfield’s “mood music” had changed significantly against the Dutchman following a string of poor results.
“Qualifying for the Champions League certainly looks difficult now, but it’s never certain whether we’ll qualify or not, but it’s certainly a risk,” Wyness said.
“And that’s going to have a big impact on the bottom line. And I think his head is definitely going to go for it. He’s going to be fired. He’s going to be fired.”
“But even if he doesn’t go now, the mood music seems to be working against him.”
Estimates suggest that Liverpool could lose more than £100m in revenue if they fail to qualify for the Champions League.
For owner FSG, who have admitted to spending huge amounts of money on transfers, such a financial blow is likely to make it impossible for them to maintain their slot position, regardless of their past silver medals.
Xabi Alonso seen as Liverpool’s frontrunner
With pressure mounting on Slott, Anfield bosses are reportedly already looking ahead to a future without him. Xabi Alonso has emerged as the front-runner in the event of a managerial change this summer.
The Spaniard is now a free agent after a short and high-pressure spell at Real Madrid earlier this year.
Despite his struggles in the Spanish capital, Alonso remains a beloved figure at Anfield and is thought to be the clear man to reinvigorate the team.
According to reports, the club have already made a provisional approach to his agent, with Alonso said to be “open” to a return to the club where he won the Champions League as a player.
For now, Slott remains in charge, but his margin for error is officially gone as the financial risks are higher than ever.
