Liverpool have ALREADY set foundation for Xabi Alonso arrival

Liverpool's 'Xabi Alonso' team

Alonso differs from Slot in one key way: his winning system was a 3-4-3 rather than a 4-2-3-1. And if you consider that a hallmark of what he tries to do, this Liverpool squad looks like a better fit for the former than it does the latter.

This is a team that deliberately didn't sign a winger in the summer. Instead, they brought in two proper wing-backs - full-backs who look to attack and offer the team's width. One of them played under Alonso at Bayer Leverkusen. It's a way of thinking that's far more in-line with a back three than a back four.

They didn't bring in out-and-out defensive midfielders, instead keeping versatile midfielders suited to a flat two. But importantly, Liverpool did try and sign an extra senior centre-back in Marc Guehi.

£100m was spent on Alonso's star player: Florian Wirtz. If he were to play the same role he did at Leverkusen - part of the front three but slightly withdrawn and to the left - Liverpool didn't sign any competition against him. In fact, they sold Luis Diaz and didn't replace him.

There's a solid argument that Mo Salah fits Alonso's system more than Slot's at this stage. He'd be a perfect choice on the right of the front three - a more central role that has the width provided by the wing-back.

If Liverpool truly did want to bring in Alonso, the foundation is firmly there. All they'd actually need to do is grab a new centre-back, providing Ibrahima Konate stays and Giovanni Leoni recovers.

We wouldn't expect anything to happen before the summer but if it does, Liverpool are well-suited to adapt to Alonso. Like they'd been planning for it.