If Mo goes, at least it will be for big fee ...but keeping Virgil is the key for Slot

THERE was no ideal candidate out there to replace Jurgen Klopp because they are such huge shoes to fill. Not just in terms of teambuilding, but the relationship he had with the fans and the city.

Even Xabi Alonso didn’t tick all the boxes because he’s only been a manager for a couple of years.

I’m sure Liverpool have done their due diligence on Arne Slot and it’s positive for the fans that he plays the game on the front foot just like Klopp.

We’re told he has a confident and humorous personality as well which is positive.

He won’t need three years to build a team to compete at the top level like Klopp did because he already has a squad in place with quality and the right blend of youth and experience.

I think Slot’s first and biggest job when he lands is to sort out the future of Virgil van Dijk, a fellow Dutchman of course.

Like Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mo Salah, the captain only has a year left on his contract after this summer and keeping his experience and leadership at Anfield is vital.

I imagine Slot will be desperate to convince Van Dijk to stay for the next chapter. It won’t be about money for the player but where he sees his career going next and the overall prospects at Liverpool post-Klopp.

Trent will re-sign I feel. He’s a local hero who loves the club. Salah is actually younger than Van Dijk but ageing in terms of the position he’s playing in.

If Liverpool do end up losing one of their greatest-ever players, they’ll get the big fee and they can try and find the next one.

I’m sure there will be that little sense of trepidation among Liverpool fans about Slot coming in. Not because it’s him but because replacing a legend is not easy. Just ask Manchester United and Arsenal.

Some managers go to Britain without us knowing a lot about them. Wenger was hardly a household name when he first arrived. Ange Postecoglou has done a great job at Celtic and Spurs.

Nonetheless it’s a huge leap from the Dutch League to the Premier League. You’re dealing with an entirely new level of big-name players.

I think Liverpool fans will embrace the appointment, largely because the club’s recruitment over recent years has been successful and deserves trust.

Liverpool are in a healthy spot but that Van Dijk issue is a big one. Slot needs to get it done.