By Tom Victor
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has warned Arne Slot he would be taking a "huge jump" by leaving Feyenoord to take over at Anfield.
Slot, 45, has emerged as the Reds' top contender to replace Jurgen Klopp at the end of the season. The former AZ boss led his team to the Eredivisie title last season and is on course for a runner-up finish this time around.
Klopp is leaving in the summer after nearly nine years at the helm, having delivered Liverpool their first league title of the Premier League era. The Merseyside club also won the Champions League in 2019 and reached the final on two other occasions, but their quest for Europa League glory this term fell short.
Slot's links with Liverpool come with another Eredivisie winner, Erik ten Hag, struggling in his second season in charge of Manchester United. Speaking on Sky Sports ahead of the Merseyside Derby, Carragher offered a reminder to the potential new boss, while comparing his attributes to those of Xabi Alonso and Ruben Amorim after the pair were also linked after Klopp's exit announcement.
"What I would say from Feyenoord to Liverpool is a huge jump and I think it shows in this moment a lack of real top managers out there when you look at who Liverpool were going for," Carragher said. "Initially probably Xabi Alonso but it was only his first full season as a manager. There was talk of Amorin from Sporting Lisbon but he’s only 39.
"Now Arne Slot looks like he is the favourite right now. I don’t think it’s like Rafa Benitez coming on or Jurgen Klopp coming in. Benitez came off the back of winning two La Liga titles and a UEFA Cup and Jurgen Klopp coming after winning a couple of titles with Borussia Dortmund and getting to a Champions League final.
"Liverpool were in a different space then, and that was a Liverpool team under Rafa Benitez that I was part of that was trying to qualify for the top four, the same with Jurgen Klopp when he came in. Liverpool are in a different area now and fancy themselves to challenge for the Premier League next season and the Champions League, they will be expected to reach the quarter-finals at least. I think it is a huge jump, he’s obviously a great coach and has a good track record with the clubs he has had so far, so we will see."
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Bayer Leverkusen boss Alonso, a former team-mate of Carragher's at Anfield, was heavily linked with a return as manager before committing his future to the German club. Leverkusen have gone the whole season unbeaten, clinching the Bundesliga title with time to spare and still vying for the Europa League and DFB-Pokal.
"Last week I had a very good meeting when I informed them [Leverkusen's directors] of my decision to continue being coach of Bayer Leverkusen," the former Spain midfielder said when confirming he would stay put. "For sure all the decisions you need to analyse well. I try to take the right ones, I try to take them in a natural way.
"At the moment this is the right place for me to develop as a coach, I am a young coach. Right now this is the right place. I have to thank the management. The club had been supportive and I feel respected by all departments.
"The fans they have shown great support and they have reasons to believe and dream we will have a great season. I have a great staff to help me work day by day, and so for sure the players."
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