EXCLUSIVE: JAMIE CARRAGHER DELIVERS BRUTAL "SERIOUS QUESTIONS" VERDICT ON ARNE SLOT
Jamie Carragher warns Arne Slot: missing Champions League football is "unthinkable" after Liverpool's £450m investment.
Jamie Carragher thinks Arne Slot is in real trouble if Liverpool misses out on the Champions League this season. Carragher, who used to play at the back for the Reds, doesn’t see Slot’s team as ready for Premier League football right now—even after last year’s title.
Liverpool had a rough stretch earlier this season, and that loss to Bournemouth over the weekend snapped whatever momentum they had started to build. Now they're sitting sixth, behind Chelsea and a much-improved Manchester United.
Carragher doesn’t think Slot deserves too much heat for not pushing for the title this year. But missing out on Europe’s biggest competition? That’s a line you can’t cross. Carragher, now doing punditry for Sky Sports, isn’t convinced Liverpool will even pull it off.
He broke it down on Monday Night Football: “When I look at the Premier League, three things jump out—set pieces and long throws, counter-attacking both ways, and dealing with those low defensive blocks. If you’re Liverpool, and you’re facing deep, organised teams, you just can’t cope. Slot talks about low blocks all the time—Liverpool can’t handle any of it.”
He said Liverpool just doesn’t look built for the Premier League. But in Europe? It’s different. Set pieces and long throws don’t matter as much, counter-attacking is there but not to the same degree, and teams aren’t just sitting back. That actually suits Liverpool. “They can beat Real Madrid, they can go to Inter Milan and win, or Marseille, and they’ll finish in the top eight and get to the knockouts.”
Carragher thinks the fans and the club can live with not winning the league this year. Not good enough, sure, but they accept it.
But when you see what United and Chelsea have been doing lately, and you realise Liverpool could actually end up outside the Champions League spots, Carragher says that’s when the manager’s job really comes under the microscope. That’s a totally different conversation.
“Not winning the league is on everyone, and Liverpool doesn’t win it every year anyway. But missing the Champions League after winning the league, spending £450 million, and having the biggest wage bill—which usually decides where you finish—that brings up some serious questions.”
Dave Jones asked him, “Champions League or bust for Slot?”
Carragher didn’t hesitate: “Yeah, as far as qualifying goes. Some of the criticism and disrespect Slot had from Liverpool fans is way over the top, considering he won the league last year. But if you don’t make the Champions League after spending what Liverpool does, you can’t really defend it.”
WHY DID JEREMY JACQUET SNUB CHELSEA FOR LIVERPOOL? THE SECRET VIRGIL CONNECTION
Liverpool secure Jeremy Jacquet in a £60m Deadline Day coup. The 20-year-old chose Anfield over Chelsea for a summer move.
Liverpool turned heads on Transfer Deadline Day when Arne Slot jumped into the mix and snapped up one of Europe’s brightest young talents.
The Reds dropped £55 million up front—plus another potential £5 million in add-ons—to bring in Jeremy Jacquet. He’ll link up with his new teammates this summer. Chelsea hovered around the deal too, but Jacquet chose Liverpool over the Blues.
French football pundit Julian Laurens isn’t shy about his excitement. He told Sky Sports, “He’s the real deal. Sure, he’s only 20. He hasn’t played for France yet, and you won’t find him in the Champions League or Europa League. But he’s already shown so much. Last season, Rennes brought him back from a second division loan, and this year, playing under Habib Beye, he’s just kept improving. You can’t miss with this kid. He’s going to be special.
“He reminds me of when William Saliba broke through at Saint-Etienne, or even Wesley Fofana. The point is, if you really value untapped talent, you’re willing to pay big. And Liverpool just did—because Jacquet’s that promising.”
Jacquet grew up in Bondy, the same Paris suburb that produced Kylian Mbappe, William Saliba, and Randal Kolo Muani. It’s up in Seine-Saint-Denis, northeast of central Paris.
His football education, though, happened at Rennes out in Brittany. He came up through their academy, playing alongside guys like Desire Doue—who won the Champions League with PSG—and Tottenham’s Mathys Tel.
Back then, Jacquet idolised Paul Pogba, but once they moved him to centre-back, he started looking up to Virgil van Dijk.
He made his first-team debut for Rennes in January 2024, then went on loan to Clermont Foot 63, who were fighting relegation in Ligue 1. Even after they went down, Rennes kept him out on loan because he did so well with the French U19 squad.
But in February 2025, Rennes called him back, and he’s been a regular for Habib Beye ever since.
Asked about his playing style, Jacquet said, “I’m calm on the ball—maybe I look a little nonchalant, but I’m always focused. What makes me stand out is playing out from the back and breaking lines with the right pass.”
JEREMY JACQUET UPDATE: FABRIZIO ROMANO CONFIRMS LIVERPOOL INTEREST BUT RENNES DEMAND CLUB-RECORD FEE
Liverpool is battling Chelsea and Bayern Munich for Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet as Arne Slot faces a mounting injury crisis.
Liverpool really wants to sign Jeremy Jacquet this month, but with Chelsea, Man United, and Arsenal also circling, it looks like they’ll have to wait until summer.
They just locked in a spot in the Champions League last 16 after cruising past Qarabag FK, so things are looking good on that front. This season, they’ve already faced a couple of those big clubs—snatching a last-gasp win over Atletico thanks to Van Dijk’s 92nd-minute header, but coming up short with a 1-0 loss to Galatasaray in Turkey.
On Wednesday, Ryan Gravenberch ended up playing centre-back because Joe Gomez is out injured, and Ibrahima Konate is still away after his father passed away. They're really stretched at the back, especially with Conor Bradley and Giovanni Leoni both dealing with long-term injuries. The club decided not to go after Marc Guehi this month, which let Manchester City snap him up for under £30 million.
Now, Liverpool is eyeing Rennes defender Jeremy Jacquet. L’Equipe reported in January that Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Man United, Arsenal, and Liverpool all want him. Fabrizio Romano gave an update, saying Liverpool would love to get the deal done now, but Rennes just don’t want to sell until summer. So, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Bayern are all talking to Rennes and Jacquet’s people, but for now, it’s a waiting game.
With all these injuries piling up, people are wondering if Liverpool might try to bring in someone before the window closes. Arne Slot responded, saying the club always tries to make smart decisions, thinking about both the short and long term. That’s why they focus on signing young talent who can still develop—sometimes you just have to be patient and trust the process.
He pointed out that Liverpool doesn’t have a massive squad packed with four right-backs, a dozen midfielders, or a handful of strikers. They need to be clever about their moves, balancing immediate needs with future plans.
As for the latest on injuries, Slot said they’ll see how Jeremie Frimpong is doing—maybe he won’t be fit for Saturday, but he could be ready soon after. With just one game a week coming up, injuries should ease up a bit, but you never know with football.