Arne Slot is expected to stay on as Liverpool FC's manager beyond the summer, according to his latest comments.

Arne Slot has insisted he expects to remain in the Liverpool dugout next season despite a disappointing campaign that has seen the Reds struggle to defend their Premier League crown. The Dutchman has faced mounting pressure from sections of the Anfield faithful as his side battles to secure a place in the Champions League.

Arne Slot has provided a significant fitness update ahead of Liverpool’s crucial Premier League encounter away at Aston Villa on Friday night. While talismanic forward Mohamed Salah is prepared to make his return following a two-match injury absence, the Reds may be forced to navigate the fixture without influential playmaker Florian Wirtz due to a sudden illness.

For Liverpool's bitterly frustrated fans, watching Chelsea end a six-game losing streak by claiming a thoroughly deserved point at Anfield on Saturday was bad enough. However, Monday's news that the Blues are now exploring a deal to appoint Xabi Alonso as their next permanent boss has come as an even bigger blow to a set of supporters struggling to see any light at the end of the tunnel right now.

According to reports in the Spanish newspaper AS, Liverpool have contacted Real Madrid to enquire about Xabi Alonso and to gain insight into his brief, underwhelming spell as manager at the Bernabeu. With uncertainty growing around Arne Slot's long-term future, Alonso has been linked with taking over at Anfield.