Jamie Carragher has flagged something worth circling in the diary: if Jurgen Klopp takes Germany and Arne Slot lands the Netherlands job, the two men who defined Liverpool's last decade could be facing each other on the international stage as early as next year.
"Looks like Jurgen Klopp is going to get the German job and I think there is a fixture early next year between Germany and Holland," Carragher said on Sky Sports. "That might be something to keep an eye on."
That's an understatement.
Two Liverpool eras, one international fixture
Klopp's sabbatical is ending. After stepping away from management in 2024 and taking a senior role at Red Bull as Head of Global Soccer, he was pitchside as a pundit watching Germany's World Cup unravel. Now he's reportedly on the verge of replacing Julian Nagelsmann permanently — tasked with rebuilding Die Mannschaft after a tournament they'd rather forget.
Slot's situation is different but equally plausible. Ronald Koeman walked after Holland's shock round-of-32 exit to Morocco, and Slot — sacked by Liverpool following a disappointing title defence — is in the frame to step straight back into work. Dutch outlet De Telegraaf adds a financial wrinkle: Slot reportedly won't have to forfeit his Liverpool severance package if he takes the job. Liverpool typically pay out sacked managers monthly rather than in a lump sum, and the report suggests the Reds might even top up his Netherlands salary in year one — saving themselves millions in the process. The total entitlement could reach €30 million.
So both men are motivated. Both are available. And both know each other's methods better than almost any pair of international coaches on the planet.
Carragher's verdict on Slot's credentials
Asked whether Slot has what it takes to succeed at international level, Carragher didn't hesitate. "He came to the Premier League, he'll be disappointed about what happened last season but he was in the Premier League for two years and won it first season. He had the courage to take over from Jurgen Klopp so I'll never forget what he did — it was absolutely fantastic."
That courage is the key word. Taking the Liverpool job after Klopp was always going to be a brutal assignment. Slot won the league in his first season. When the second season collapsed, the knives came out fast — but one title in two years at Anfield is not a record to be ashamed of.
In his farewell letter to supporters, Slot wrote: "I leave with complete confidence in what lies ahead." Whether that confidence is justified at international level remains his next test to answer.
If the fixture Carragher is flagging materialises, the odds on that Germany vs Netherlands match are going to attract serious attention the moment both appointments are confirmed.
