Xabi Alonso is no longer an option, and Luis Enrique appears firmly committed to his project. Iraola, meanwhile, remains unproven at the very highest level and would represent a significant gamble. As things stand, the pool of realistic elite alternatives looks thin.
I may well be wrong, but it feels as though Richard Hughes is facing something of a nightmare scenario. Unless he has already identified and secured Arne Slotโs long-term successor, the timing of this situation seems rather peculiar #LFC
These #LFC journalists have been disgraceful. Throughout the season, they bent over backwards to defend Slotโs disastrous second year, constantly moving the goalposts and inventing new excuses to justify the teamโs decline. They even used Jotaโs tragic death as an explanation.
The obvious question is: where was this reporting when it actually mattered? If these issues were so apparent, why were they hidden behind a wall of excuses all season long? #LFC
Worse still, they turned their criticism on the supporters. Fans who voiced legitimate concerns were dismissed as impatient, entitled, and ungrateful for daring to question the direction under the manager #LFC
At a time when owners FSG's standing with fans is nowhere near what it was twelve months ago - and any conversations about the manager aside - they need to banish cronyism and urgently look to hire a genuinely top-class Sporting Director.
We've seen it with Fabinho, we've seen it with Dรญaz, and we've seen it with Trent. Rather than proactively replacing elite talent, the club often tries to convince itself that the loss can be absorbed internally. Every great side eventually needs renewal! #LFC
RE Ben Jacobs article:
#LFC seem to be the only elite club that routinely allows key players to leave and then acts as though their role was never that significant in the first place.
Our fanbase loses all perspective when money enters the conversation. Whether or not you believe Konatรฉ merits a substantial wage increase is beside the point. The real issue is that #LFC appear set to lose yet another key player for nothing. It's becoming a recurring pattern.
At some point, this stops being "tough negotiations" and starts looking like poor planning. Eighteen months is more than enough time to sort out a contract, yet Liverpool seem to find themselves in the same situation over and over again #LFC
Exclusive: Ibrahima Konate is expected to leave Liverpool. No agreement has been reached between #LFC and the French defender despite Konate indicating in April a deal was close.
๐ค @alex_crook