Chances drop big for surprise pick to become Liverpool boss after Arne Slot gets sacked
There’s been a big surprise in the race to become Liverpool’s next head coach after Arne Slot was let go – and the new favourite hasn’t even managed a Premier League team before.
Slot left on Saturday (May 30) after leading Liverpool to fifth place in the last Premier League season. Even though he won the title in his very first season, some fans, including Liverpool star Mohamed Salah, were not happy with how the team played. Earlier in May, Salah shared a message asking the team to return to “heavy metal football” – the fast, exciting style Liverpool is known for. “I want to see Liverpool go back to being the heavy-metal attacking team that opponents fear and to winning trophies,” he said on social media.
Slot finished with a solid record of 66 wins, 18 draws, and 29 losses in 113 games, and he’s only the second person after Jürgen Klopp to win the Premier League with Liverpool.
Currently, Andoni Iraola, who recently left Bournemouth after guiding them to their best-ever sixth place and a spot in the Europa League, is the top favourite to get the job.
There have also been reports that Liverpool are eyeing Stuttgart’s Sebastian Hoeneß, Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner, and Lens boss Pierre Sage.
But surprisingly, according to Oddschecker on Sunday morning, Pep Lijnders has become the second favourite. He’s never been a Premier League head coach before but worked closely with Klopp as an assistant and was a development coach under Brendan Rodgers. He’s now 9/1 to become Liverpool’s permanent manager.
Lijnders played a big role in Liverpool’s success, helping them win the Champions League in 2019 and the Premier League the next year. The 43-year-old Dutch coach managed NEC in 2018 and Red Bull Salzburg in 2024 but was dismissed after 29 games. He then joined Manchester City as Pep Guardiola’s assistant for the 2025/26 season and helped them win two domestic cups before leaving in May.
Here are the current odds for Liverpool’s next manager:
– Andoni Iraola – 1/10
– Pep Lijnders – 9/1
– Oliver Glasner – 10/1
– Pierre Sage – 10/1
– Sebastian Hoeness – 11/1
– Xabi Alonso – 12/1
– Julian Nagelsmann – 14/1
– Francesco Farioli – 16/1
– Cesc Fabregas – 16/1
– Diego Simeone – 16/1
– Luis Enrique – 20/1
– Steven Gerrard – 20/1
– Unai Emery – 20/1
– Jürgen Klopp – 20/1
– Thomas Frank – 22/1
– Xavi – 25/1
– Simone Inzaghi – 25/1
– Zinedine Zidane – 25/1
– Robert De Zerbi – 25/1
– Mauricio Pochettino – 25/1
– Diego Simone – 28/1
– Ruben Amorim – 28/1
– Marco Silva – 33/1
– Ange Postecoglou – 40/1
– Carlo Ancelotti – 40/1
– Gareth Southgate – 50/1
– Pep Guardiola – 50/1
– Eddie Howe – 66/1
– Roberto Martinez – 66/1
– Julen Lopetegui – 66/1
– Brendan Rodgers – 66/1
– Thomas Tuchel – 66/1
It’s shaping up to be an interesting choice for Liverpool’s next boss!