A groundbreaking manager could potentially take over from Arne Slot.
Regardless of personal opinion, the Dutch tactician’s impact at Anfield will always be recalled.
He secured the Premier League title in his inaugural season, undoubtedly leveraging Jurgen Klopp’s established framework, yet he also implemented crucial adjustments pivotal to Liverpool’s championship victory.
However, none of those achievements diminish the reality that, this current campaign, he bears full responsibility and appears overwhelmed.
Following their Premier League triumph, Liverpool has embarked on one of the most challenging periods in the club’s existence.
Slot’s winning percentage dropped below fifty percent in 2025. This trend has persisted into 2026. The Reds have secured victory in merely 13 of their preceding 26 fixtures.
After clinching their initial five season openers, Liverpool has managed only 12 wins in 29 Premier League encounters.
Such performance levels are frankly inadequate, and a return to previous form seems improbable.
Given Liverpool’s esteemed standing, this caliber of display is entirely intolerable, and it increasingly appears that no obvious recovery route exists from this downturn.
Only due to the struggles of Manchester United and Chelsea does Liverpool find itself still able to rescue its current campaign.
Over the extended period, the club requires transformation, which must involve hiring a manager who genuinely comprehends the demands of achieving an elite standard and collaborating with top-tier athletes. An individual capable of producing engaging and victorious football, and highly skilled at applying pressure to opposing teams.
Slot evidently lacks this understanding.
However, Liverpool requires another master of counter-pressing tactics. An individual who connects with supporter desires and can reignite exhilarating, high-intensity football at Anfield.
A clear, yet perhaps lesser-known, contender exists for this role.
Matthias Jaissle.
Despite being merely 38 years old, he already boasts a remarkable career history. Jaissle led Red Bull Salzburg’s senior squad to victory in the Austrian Bundesliga during his initial season with the club – a feat he repeated in his subsequent year.
With Jaissle at the helm, Salzburg also asserted themselves as a formidable European presence, cultivating the talents of numerous promising young footballers, notably Benjamin Sesko.
Similar to Klopp in nationality, Jaissle is a fervent proponent of counter-pressing football. He departed Salzburg to take up a position at Al-Ahli, where he briefly collaborated with Roberto Firmino in the Saudi Pro League.
Jaissle recently established a new benchmark by securing the AFC Champions League for the second occasion with Al-Ahli, thus becoming the inaugural manager in the tournament’s annals to hoist the trophy in successive campaigns.
Remarkably, he has achieved all of these feats prior to turning 40. Quite impressive.
His tactical approach, his accomplishments, and his penchant for nurturing and cultivating young talent strongly suggest Jaissle is an ideal candidate for Liverpool.
With virtually every possible accolade and success attained in Saudi Arabia, it now appears to be the opportune time for his return to European football.
Should he indeed make that move, he represents an exemplary option to succeed Slot.
