Arne Slot’s position in the Anfield dugout is looking precarious. The Dutchman became the fifth manager in Premier League history to win the title in his debut campaign in 2024/25, but the reigning champions have not been at the races this time around. It could be said that he is currently hanging by a thread, but how much would it cost to sack him?
Lured away from Feyenoord to replace the ever-lovable Jurgen Klopp, who left Liverpool in a brilliant state, Slot became loved by the Anfield faithful almost immediately. Reds star Mohamed Salah was firing on all cylinders, Virgil van Dijk proved why he’s up there with the best and their midfield was as good as anyone’s.
A summer of over-the-top spending – which saw them break the bank for Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz and the like – is yet to pay dividends as the Merseysiders have lost six of their opening 15 matches. At the time of writing, they’ve won seven times but five of those came inside their first five outings. It’s been all downhill from there.
How Much It Would Cost Liverpool to Sack Slot Revealed by Finance Expert
arne slot liveprool
There is no guarantee that Liverpool owners, Fenway Sports Group (FSG), will decide to pull the plug on Slot’s time with the club, but it would be remiss to ignore the pressure that continues to increase week-on-week.
Rousing The Kop have recently spoken to finance expert Adam Williams to find out how much the club would need to cough up if they decide to end Slot’s stewardship sooner than expected.
“Slot signed a three-year deal, so he’s contracted to the club until the end of 2026-27. There are some reports suggesting that he earns £6-7m annually, but they aren’t reliable,” he said. “The sites that specialise in wage data almost always get it very, very wrong. A cursory look at the official club accounts is enough to prove that.
“I’d personally be surprised if his overall package wasn’t closer to £10m. If it was just £6-7m, he’d be on the equivalent of one of the worst-paid players in Liverpool’s squad’s salary. That kind of wage structure doesn’t make sense.”
Williams then confirmed that Liverpool would need to pay £15 million, judging by his knowledge of what the 47-year-old – who is, still, widely regarded as one of the best managers in world football – earns on a yearly basis. “The conventional wisdom is that, in order to sack a manager, you have to pay out the remainder of their contract. On that basis, you’d be looking at £15m or thereabouts to give Slot the boot.
“However, the reality is usually a lot more nuanced than that,” he continued. “There will likely be provisions in his contract that protect the club if, for example, if they are drastically underperforming on the pitch. There might also be a pre-agreed termination clause. These factors can work in the manager’s favour or the club’s – there’s no way of knowing for sure without having the contract in front of us.
Cost of Sacking Slot ‘Won’t Be a Consideration’ for Liverpool Owners FSG
Arne Slot looks on during Liverpool’s defeat to PSV Eindhoven
Those associated with the two-time Premier League winners will all be hoping that Slot can get back on track given how well his Liverpool career began last term.
It’s not a given, though, and Williams has suggested that FSG – a multinational sports holding conglomerate which also owns Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox – will not be deterred by the £15 million outlay. “But either way, the cost of sacking Slot, or indeed appointing a new manager, won’t be a consideration for FSG,” he said.
“They have invested a lot in him and his plans and, fundamentally, it will be a football decision, albeit one rooted in the eventual return on investment FSG are eventually destined to get at Liverpool. Let’s say the cost is £15m… That is the amount that you get in prize money for finishing roughly five places higher in the Premier League.”
“Even if you finish one or two places higher than you would have done otherwise but make it into the Champions League as a result, that’s about £80m in extra revenue virtually guaranteed,” Williams said. “FSG certainly aren’t going to make any knee-jerk decisions; it’s not their style. But the short-term hit they would take financially isn’t going to move the needle in terms of their final verdict on the manager.”