Jamie Carragher shares Arne Slot concern Jürgen Klopp has created at Liverpool

Jamie Carragher has given his verdict on Arne Slot emerging as the leading contender to replace Jürgen Klopp at Liverpool. The Reds and Feyenoord are in talks over a deal to see the Dutchman take over at Anfield next season.

Slot has become the front-runner after Xabi Alonso and Rúben Amorim were previously heavily linked with the unenviable job of replacing Klopp. And Carragher believes there is a notable “lack of real top managers” available to his former club.

He raised some concerns over Slot needing to make a “huge jump” to be a success - and that is largely due to the job Klopp has done making it a vastly different job opportunity than it was when the German first took over back in 2015.

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Carragher said on Sky Sports ahead of Liverpool’s clash with Everton at Goodison Park: "What I would say from Feyenoord to Liverpool is a huge jump, and I think it shows in this moment a lack of real top managers out there when you look at who Liverpool were going for.

"Initially probably Xabi Alonso but it was only his first full season as a manager. There was talk of Amorin from Sporting Lisbon but he’s only 39. Now Arne Slot looks like he is the favourite right now.

"I don’t think it’s like Rafa Benitez coming in or Jurgen Klopp coming in. Benitez came off the back of winning two La Liga titles and a UEFA Cup and Jurgen Klopp coming after winning a couple of titles with Borussia Dortmund and getting to a Champions League final.

"Liverpool were in a different space then, and that was a Liverpool team under Rafa Benitez that I was part of that was trying to qualify for the top four, the same with Jurgen Klopp when he came in. Liverpool are in a different area now and fancy themselves to challenge for the Premier League next season and the Champions League, they will be expected to reach the quarter-finals at least.

"I think it is a huge jump, he’s obviously a great coach and has a good track record with the clubs he has had so far, so we will see."

While Carragher has some concerns, his former teammate, Sander Westerveld, believes Slot is a “perfect fit” for his former club. Westerveld, who played alongside Slot at Sparta Rotterdam, told Sky Sports: “Well, first of all, I hope something happens very quickly, because I’ve been giving interviews about Xabi Alonso, how good he was, and last week it was all about the Portuguese (Ruben Amorim).

“Now it’s Arne Slot, and in fact I played for him when I played for Sparta Rotterdam. He was the captain. People ask me if I knew back then he would be a coach. You could see he was one of those.

“He was already a perfectionist. Only football, football, football and he was always talking about tactics and everything. I think it’s a perfect fit for Liverpool and hopefully he will sign.”