Arne Slot confirmed to take over at Liverpool
Liverpool have reached a verbal agreement with Feyenoord for their head coach Arne Slot to succeed Jurgen Klopp at the end of the season.
The club made their move for the Dutchman earlier last week and after days of negotiation, it’s understood they have finally settled on a compensation package with Feyenoord for the 45-year-old, who had two years left on his contract.
Slot had said on Thursday he was confident a deal would be reached after he admitted it was “clear I would like to go to Liverpool”.
The Feyenoord boss, who guided the club to their first title in six years last season and currently has them in second place in the Eredivisie table having won the Dutch Cup at the weekend, emerged as the preferred candidate earlier last week.
He has already been given the seal of approval by Klopp, who has not been involved in the recruitment process.
“I like the way his team plays football, definitely,” he said.
“All the things I hear about him - some people I know know him, I don’t know him yet - but some people tell me that he’s a really good guy, and I like that a lot.
“So, good coach, good guy, looking forward for the club. If he’s the solution, or the man, then I’m more than happy.
“It’s not up to me to judge these things but it all sounds really good to me. “It’s the best job in the world, best club in the world. Obviously now, I help even by not finishing on a high - it looks like - so there’s space for improvement.
“It’s great job, fantastic people. He would take a really interesting job.”
Klopp is standing down at the end of the season after nine years at the helm and would have wanted to sign off with a second Premier League title but that now looks like a long shot after defeat at Everton in midweek left Liverpool at a significant disadvantage to rivals Arsenal and Manchester City.
“I’m pretty sure Arsenal and City see it now as a two-horse race. They might have to say something else publicly, but they don’t expect for themselves to lose two games from now on,” the Reds boss added ahead of last night’s kick-off at West Ham. “I don’t expect them to do that.” Liverpool formally opened negotiations with Feyenoord on Thursday.
Slot joined Feyenoord in 2021 and had previously been targeted by Premier League clubs, with Leeds United seeking to appoint him last February after the sacking of Jesse Marsch and Tottenham Hotspur interviewing him last summer.
Slot's aggressive playing style and ability to improve players appealed to Liverpool, while he also boasts Champions League experience, with Feyenoord having finished third in their group behind Atletico Madrid and Lazio but above Celtic.