Bookmakers Cut Odds on Zinedine Zidane to Replace Arne Slot as Liverpool Manager
Betfair has updated its odds for who could become the next Liverpool manager, with some surprising movements in the rankings.
Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner is now the favourite at 3/1 to take over from Arne Slot, followed by Andoni Iraola of Bournemouth at 4/1. Zinedine Zidane is third at 9/2, while Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann is listed at 7/1.
A sensational return for Jurgen Klopp—currently serving as Red Bull’s global head of football—is priced at 9/1.
What has Zidane said about Liverpool?
Zidane has spoken fondly of Liverpool in the past, once describing Anfield as the best away stadium during an interview with Real Madrid’s official YouTube channel. Ahead of the 2021 Champions League quarter-final, where Real Madrid defeated Liverpool over two legs, he praised Jürgen Klopp for turning the Reds into a “complete team.”
“They’re a very complete side,” Zidane told reporters. “People talk about their front three—Salah, Mané, and Firmino—and rightly so, but I think the entire team works together brilliantly. We have to be alert.”
However, as with rumours linking him to Manchester United, Zidane would likely face obstacles if approached by Liverpool. In a 2022 interview with L’Équipe, the 1998 Ballon d’Or winner admitted that his limited English skills could be a stumbling block to managing in England.
“When people ask if I’d go to Manchester, I say I understand English, but I don’t fully master it,” he explained. “Some coaches take jobs without knowing the language, but that’s not how I work.”
Zidane’s entire managerial career has been at Real Madrid, first leading the Castilla side from 2014 to 2016 before managing the senior team across two spells. Having played at the Bernabéu for five years, he is fluent in Spanish.
Since leaving Real in 2021, Zidane has yet to take on another role, though he continues to be heavily linked with succeeding Didier Deschamps as France’s head coach after the 2026 World Cup.
