Slot has agreed personal terms with Liverpool earlier this week. Welcome Arne…….. Final agreement close as Feyenoord boss reveals he wants to be Jurgen Klopp successor
Liverpool remain in talks over appointing Arne Slot after Feyenoord turned down their opening offer for the head coach; Slot has now publicly revealed he wants to become the new Liverpool boss and is “confident” the clubs will find an agreement for him to move to Anfield…
Talks have progressed positively and while sources in the Netherlands have mentioned a figure of £9.85 million, Sky Sports News has been told no amount has been settled on yet and negotiations are ongoing.
Slot, who led the Dutch club to only their second Eredivisie title this century last season, featured on Liverpool’s list of candidates from the start of a long, rigorous process and topped it when they finished due diligence on all the key criteria.
Xabi Alonso, the outstanding candidate for every top club seeking a new manager this summer, ruled himself out of contention by remaining at Bayer Leverkusen.
Most of the candidates under consideration by Liverpool ticked that box, but Slot’s playing approach and philosophy, which marries so well with what Klopp has implemented at the club, set him apart.
It means there is no massive tactical upheaval or adaptation. Liverpool have one vision and playing style running through all age groups, which dictates the stylistic profile they recruit for, so it is sensible to continue with that.
The leap from the Eredivisie to a team that wants to win the Premier League and be a dominant force in Europe in a huge one, but every potential successor to Klopp carries risk.
Jamie Carragher says Liverpool’s move for Slot demonstrates the lack of “top managers” currently available.
Speaking to Sky Sports, former Liverpool defender Carragher said: “From Feyenoord to Liverpool is a huge jump and I think it shows at this moment that there’s probably a dearth of real top managers out there, when you look at who Liverpool are going for.
“Initially it was Xabi Alonso – it’s only his first full season as a manager – then there was talk of Ruben Amorim from Sporting, who’s only 39. Now Arne Slot is the favourite.”
Carragher added the scenario potentially facing Slot at Anfield differs from the one Klopp inherited in 2014 after his time in charge of Borussia Dortmund, or the one Rafa Benitez walked into in 2004 after leaving Valencia.
“I don’t think it’s like Benitez coming in, or Klopp,” he said. “Benitez coming in on the back of two LaLiga titles and a UEFA Cup, or Klopp winning a couple of league titles and getting to a Champions League final. Liverpool were actually in a different space then.
