Arne Slott will be fondly remembered for his title-winning ability and resilience during tough times, but there is no doubt that Liverpool needed to make a change at the end of the 2025/26 season.
Had the Reds’ domestic rivals not performed so well in Europe, benefitting from England’s joint efficiency rankings, finishing fifth in the Premier League at the end of a long and tiring year might not have been enough to regain Champions League qualification.
Forget about the worst finish. Forget about Liverpool’s inability to piece together a result and prevent a number of late collapses. Slott’s team finished 24 points worse than the year before when they won the title. Amazing slump.
Arne Slott’s Premier League results with Liverpool | ||
|---|---|---|
24/25 | # | 25/26 |
38 | match | 38 |
twenty five | victory | 17 |
9 | draw | 9 |
4 | loss | 12 |
86:41 | GF/GA | 63:53 |
84 | point | 60 |
2.21 | PPM | 1.58 |
Alexis Mac Allister was at the epicenter of last season’s slump, but he bounced back with a springboard as a representative for Argentina this summer, helping Lionel Messi and others advance to the finals for the second year in a row at the expense of England.
How Mac Allister bounced back at the World Cup
Mac Allister was one of Liverpool’s key players who faltered last season, but bounced back this summer.
For Liverpool, it’s difficult. It’s encouraging to see Mac Allister coming back into form at the start of a new era, but it’s a little disconcerting to see him play with the athleticism, energy and vigor he’s been so lacking in over the past year.
Ahead of the final, the 27-year-old covered 75.5km, longer than any other player on the national team.
This is the same midfielder who was plodding through treacle under Slot’s control. His lack of fitness or concentration has meant he has fallen short of the elite standards he set when he joined from Brighton & Hove Albion for £35m in 2023.
Suddenly, Mac Allister looks like an elite midfielder again, no longer lacking the strength and vitality that served him so well during his first two years on Merseyside, and before that at Brighton and Argentina.
However, with his future at Anfield still uncertain and Inter Milan also making Curtis Jones their priority target this summer, there is no doubt that Iraola need a new midfielder.
Liverpool lead talks to sign World Cup midfielder
Jones is keen to make a mark for his boyhood club and Iraola expressed his admiration for the Scouse midfielder in his first press conference as Liverpool’s head coach, but there are few guarantees about the England star’s future.
Liverpool need a reinforcement or two, but with FSG’s efforts focused heavily on strengthening Liverpool’s attack, it would be interesting to see the Reds prepared to make a bid for Japan’s Kaishu Sano.
According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool are leading the race to sign the Mainz midfielder, despite interest from the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur. They are willing to offer the German side the equivalent of €60m (about £51m).
A number of organizations are tracking the 25-year-old and, according to sources in Germany, Liverpool are indeed set to make an offer to sell him the Mainz record.
Sano brings a flavorful and dynamic approach to the deep midfield game. He would be a shrewd signing, especially given the strong numbers in the current midfield market.
Sano may have been praised for his performances at the World Cup, but his performances in last season’s Bundesliga with Mainz were actually even more impressive, with his physicality, intensity and desire to win the ball making him a true natural force.
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Sano’s speed in duels is one of his most underrated elements. Indeed, in that respect he is better than the version of Mac Allister who struggled throughout the 2025/26 season. He is a steady rhythm maker and completes midfield tasks intuitively.
League form comparison (2025/26) | ||
|---|---|---|
Statistics (* per 90) | Sano | Mac Allister |
Match (start) | 34 (34) | 36(30) |
Goal + Assist | 1+2 | 2+4 |
touch* | 52.4 | 50.1 |
Exact path* | 30.2 (80%) | 33.6 (87%) |
A big opportunity has arisen | 6 | 4 |
Key pass* | 0.7 | 0.9 |
Loss of ownership* | 10.6 | 7.8 |
It was successful. dribble* | 0.8 (67%) | 0.3 (40%) |
Ball recovery rate* | 6.0 | 3.1 |
Tackle + Interception* | 3.4 | 2.0 |
clearance* | 1.4 | 0.9 |
Win a duel* | 5.4 (63%) | 3.0 (45%) |
Mac Allister has shown signs of resurgence this summer, but there is no doubt that continuing to use him as the focal point of Liverpool’s midfield is somewhat risky. Iraora’s ‘rock’n’roll’ brand of football is unforgiving and will require a much higher level of fitness than last year’s Reds.
Sano would be the perfect person to help Iraora achieve his goals from the start. Interest in his signature will only increase in the coming weeks and the Japanese would be a great addition given the importance of a quick start in the arrival of an exciting new era.
