With so much news breaking about the search for Liverpool’s new manager, we’ve put all you need to know in one place as the Reds eye up Feyenoord boss Arne Slot.
The Dutch 45-year-old, Slot, is now the reported frontrunner to replace Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager in the summer.
Xabi Alonso, Ruben Amorim and even Gary O’Neil were touted as coaches Liverpool were interested in. However, Slot is the new preferred choice according to the press.
• UPDATE – Liverpool open talks with Feyenoord to appoint Arne Slot new manager
The cost
Paul Joyce of the Times wrote that the Reds “have pinpointed” Slot as the “man they want to replace” Klopp, while a host of other reliable reporters have echoed that sentiment.
It is understood Tottenham were interested in the coach last summer, but complications, including Feyenoord’s compensatory fee, meant the move broke down.
The manager does not have a release clause in his contract, and Joyce reported: “It is thought a fee of less than €10 million euros (about £8.6 million) could be enough to prise him away.”
READ HERE: Who is Arne Slot? The new named linked as next Liverpool manager
Press conference cancelled
Further adding to the speculation that he could be on his way to Merseyside, is the fact that his Thursday press conference to preview Feyenoord’s next Eredivisie match has been cancelled.
While this could just be for a mundane logistical reason, there is likely an ulterior motive to the lack of pre-match preview before their match against Go Ahead Eagles.
Before Klopp announced his departure, This Is Anfield noticed his pre-Norwich FA Cup press conference wasn’t planned as usual, but most wrote this off as a simple scheduling quirk.
Slot’s assistant
With Pep Lijnders and several of Klopp’s backroom staff leaving, there will be plenty of vacancies at Liverpool.
Journalist Dominic King wrote that Slot “would be prepared to bring his assistant Sipke Hulshoff with him to Liverpool if the move deal gets done.”
He added: “It is absolutely clear now Slot is preferred candidate at this stage.”
Slot actually lost his previous assistant coach earlier this season when Marino Pusic moved to Shakhtar Donetsk to become manager of the Ukrainian champions.
Since Hulshoff has taken the role, though, the positivity and form at Feyenoord has remained strong hasn’t been affected.
Report from the Netherlands
Dutch outlet 1908.nl reported that Arne is “so convinced that his agent Rafaela Pimenta is now sitting down with Liverpool to discuss the most important contract details.”
Liverpool already have an established relationship with Pimenta, who is also Ryan Gravenberch‘s agent. The same report even stated that an “exploratory search for housing” on Merseyside has already begun.
“The coach and his family have already started looking for accommodation in and around Liverpool. The intention is that, if a deal gets off the ground, the entire Slot family will move to England,” 1908 claimed.
• UPDATE – Liverpool open talks with Feyenoord to appoint Arne Slot new manager
Fan Comments