AC Milan’s managerial search continues to generate widespread interest, with reports now indicating the club may be shifting attention toward former Liverpool head coach Arne Slot after seemingly falling short in their pursuit of Andoni Iraola.
Iraola had spent several weeks as one of Milan’s leading targets as the club sought a coach to spearhead a new era at San Siro. The Spaniard earned considerable admiration for his aggressive tactical style, attacking philosophy, and knack for getting the best out of his players during his time in the Premier League. However, convincing him to make the move now appears increasingly difficult, particularly as Liverpool are strongly linked with appointing him to replace the departing Slot.
Oliver Glasner has also entered the frame as a candidate under consideration by the Italian side. The Austrian has drawn praise for his tactical adaptability, organisational structure, and ability to build sides that consistently punch above their weight. Despite this, fresh reports now point to Slot emerging as one of the frontrunners in Milan’s thinking.
Journalist Sacha Tavolieri has reported that the Dutch coach is now regarded as a serious candidate for the role following his exit from Liverpool earlier today, with talks already said to be taking place behind the scenes as the club maps out its future direction.
The same reports suggest Ramon Planes is the leading candidate to take over as Milan’s sporting director, potentially succeeding Igli Tare. Should both appointments come to fruition, the club could undergo a significant overhaul both structurally and tactically ahead of next season.
On the surface, Slot moving straight from Liverpool to Milan may raise eyebrows. His departure from Anfield has inevitably taken a toll on his standing in certain football circles, given the weight of expectation that comes with managing one of England’s most prominent clubs.
Yet many analysts argue the situation at Liverpool was far more nuanced than the surface-level results imply. While Slot attracted criticism for the team’s defensive shape and their structure without the ball, broader discussions pointed to deeper-rooted problems around squad composition and recruitment. Liverpool reportedly struggled to maintain defensive solidity and tactical consistency in big matches, particularly against opponents able to exploit transitions — and the team’s pressing mechanisms and ability to control games without possession came in for repeated scrutiny.
Despite all of this, a number of observers maintain that Slot’s qualities as a coach and the merit of his tactical ideas should not be written off on the strength of one turbulent stint at a high-pressure club.
Before joining Liverpool, the Dutchman had developed a strong reputation for nurturing young talent, championing attacking football, and fostering squad cohesion through well-structured tactical systems — all of which may explain why Milan continue to view him as an appealing option despite his recent dismissal.
The Serie A club are believed to be searching for more than just a coach capable of producing quick results; they want someone who can help define a long-term identity built around development, structure, and tactical modernisation. In that context, Slot could find himself operating in a markedly different environment from the intense scrutiny he faced on Merseyside — one where his ability to develop younger players and construct fluid, technically-driven attacking systems may be particularly valued.
Milan’s current crop of young talent is thought to be well-suited to his methods, with his emphasis on high pressing, positional rotation, quick combinations, and forward-thinking football aligning closely with the direction the club appears to want to take.
There is also an element of mutual benefit in the potential move. For Slot, a successful spell in Italy would offer a timely opportunity to restore his reputation and demonstrate that his struggles at Liverpool were not a true reflection of his capabilities. For Milan, bringing in a younger, tactically forward-thinking manager could serve as a clear statement of intent — signalling a desire to modernise the club’s football identity from the ground up rather than leaning on established veteran names.
The reported addition of Planes as sporting director would complement that vision. His background in recruitment and squad-building could provide the structural foundation needed to ensure the manager’s philosophy is consistently supported in the transfer market.
Nothing has been confirmed officially, and opinion among supporters remains divided — some are wary given how Slot’s Liverpool tenure ended, while others see genuine potential in his approach for Serie A football. With talks reportedly progressing, however, what once seemed an unlikely scenario could yet become one of the defining managerial stories of the summer.
