Liverpool is back on its perch. But while a couple of Premier League titles was all it took to undo Sir Alex Ferguson’s decades-long mission, Arne Slot will now be looking to emulate the great Scot in building a dynasty of his own — and one observer believes he has already set to work.
Claiming the title in his debut campaign, Slot would be forgiven for a few days of celebration. And Liverpool did certainly enjoy the moment, with the squad party in one of Anfield’s hospitality suites only coming to an end in the early hours of the morning following victory over Spurs.
There’s also the trophy lift and then the parade to look forward to, and Slot will surely allow himself to drink those moments in. But those who have watched him closely paint a picture of an incredibly driven man, who will already be mapping out next season.
There have been some exciting noises out of the camp in terms of the upcoming transfer window. Virgil van Dijk has intimated that he has been made aware of some big plans, and discussions with Richard Hughes and Michael Edwards will long since have got underway.
But Slot has more to think about than just transfers. He’s still on track to guide Liverpool beyond 90 points in his debut Premier League campaign, blowing everyone else out of the water, but there are areas where he will feel there are improvements to be made. How often this season has he referenced that early defeat to Nottingham Forest at Anfield? Setbacks stick with Slot, and he does not rest until he minimizes the chances of them happening again.
Former Liverpool player Bolo Zenden is full of praise for his compatriot. And he believes a plan for next season will already be taking shape: “I think no one expected him to actually do what he did with his staff and his players,” Zenden told BBC Radio 5 Live Breakfast. “In the beginning people were thinking someone’s coming in from the Mickey Mouse league and what’s he going to do at Liverpool?
“Very soon he turned around the criticism with beautiful football, with charisma and I think everybody now sees what he’s capable of doing. The most interesting thing is probably still to come. I’m sure he’s not going to sit still. It’s strange to talk about when you’ve just won the league but I’m sure that in the back of his mind he’s already planning for next season.”
(Image: Stefan Koops / EYE4images/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
There’s no denying that Slot has proved plenty of doubters wrong. Even if people weren’t necessarily questioning his personal credentials, he was undoubtedly a lesser-known candidate in the grand scheme of things, particularly when it came to taking over from a legendary figure like Jurgen Klopp.
But in many ways, his work has only just begun. He has won this title with the team he inherited from Klopp, and the next big challenge is to build his own. He will also need to brace from some sterner opposition. Liverpool will end the season on fewer points than at least one (and possibly two) of the seasons in which Klopp did not win the title, and yet this time Slot has it wrapped up with four games to spare.
Talk of a “weak Premier League” is disingenuous — if anything, it’s stronger than ever, which is why so many of the traditional “big” sides are struggling to pick up as many points. Even so, it would be a surprise if Manchester City did not mount a credible charge next year.
But Slot has shown more than enough to generate faith that he is the man to not only get Liverpool to the summit, but stay there. Zenden is right: the next few months might be even more exciting than the past few weeks.
