Arne Slot made ‘insulting’ remark to Liverpool signings before leaving club

The sacked gaffer has since been replaced by Andoni Iraola.

Despite winning the Premier League in 2025, Slot was sacked at the end of May following a trophyless season and finishing 5th in the league.

Since then, Andoni Iraola, a fan of Jurgen Klopp and a brilliant underdog manager at Bournemouth, has taken over the reins at the club.

After his departure from the club, Slot has instantly been linked with a manner of high profile gigs, including potential roles at AC Milan and Fulham.

Reports in the Netherlands have also indicated that Slot would potentially be interested in the national team's vacancy following the World Cup.

Though before Slot left Liverpool, there have been several suggestions that relationships with some of the side broke down.

Major German outlet BILD reported: “objective criticism became mixed with arrogance and personal barbs”.

The 'insults' to dressing room

The reported insults were described as 'needless' upon joining the club. Following three high-profile arrivals from Bundesliga clubs, Slot supposedly stated:  “Did you win the Premier League?” when analysing their style of play, while also allegedly commenting: “You can play like that in Germany.”

Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Hugo Ekitike all arrived from Bayer Leverkusen and Eintracht Frankfurt in the summer, with Alexander Isak, Ibrahima Konaté, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo all having experience in the German top flight.

Results went from bad to worse in autumn 2025, with the Redmen losing nine out of 12 matches, with senior players Mo Salah and Virgil van Dijk reportedly losing faith in the gaffer.

Salah then publicly posted Liverpool needed to return to the "heavy metal" style saw under Klopp: “I have witnessed this club go from doubters to believers, and from believers to champions.

“It took hard work and I always did everything I could to help the club get there. Nothing makes me prouder than that.”

He added: “I want to see Liverpool go back to being the heavy metal attacking team that opponents fear and back to being a team that wins trophies. That is the football I know how to play, and that is the identity that needs to be recovered and kept for good.

“It cannot be negotiable, and everyone who joins this club should adapt to it. Winning some games here and there is not what Liverpool should be about. All teams win games.”