Liverpool agree £9.4m Slot deal with Feyenoord
Arne Slot is set to become
Liverpool's next manager after a compensation deal worth up to £9.4m was agreed
with Feyenoord.
The Dutchman is poised to succeed Jurgen Klopp, who announced
in January he would leave Anfield at the end of the 2023-24 season.
The Reds will now take steps to agree a contract with the
45-year-old before he is officially appointed.
Liverpool have agreed to pay Feyenoord £7.7m (9m euros) plus a
possible £1.7m (2m euros) in add-ons.
Slot led Feyenoord to the 2022-23 Eredivisie title, while this
season they have won the Dutch Cup and are set to finish second in their
league.
It is believed that the attacking style of Slot's teams, his
personality and his ability to develop players are key factors in making him
Liverpool's choice for the job.
Slot took over as Feyenoord manager in 2021 and confirmed his
interest in managing in the Premier League when he was linked with Tottenham in
2023.
Former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso, who guided Bayer
Leverkusen to their first Bundesliga title this season, was linked with the
position at Anfield.
But the 42-year-old Spaniard ended speculation in March when he announced
he would remain with Leverkusen for the time being.
Sporting Lisbon's Ruben Amorim was also reported to have been a
contender to take over from Klopp, who has been in charge of the Reds since
October 2015.
Klopp, who had no role in the process to recruit his
replacement, said at a news conference on Friday there is much to admire about
the way Slot's teams approach the game.
"I like the way his team play football. All the things I
hear about him as a guy say he’s a good guy," Klopp said.
"I like that a lot - good guy, good coach and looking
forward for the club if he is the solution. I’m more than happy, it sounds all
really good."
Asked about the job Slot would be taking on if appointed, Klopp
added: “Best job in the world, best club in the world. Now it looks like [Slot
is] helped by [Liverpool] not finishing on a high so there’s space for
improvement."
After retiring from playing, he began his
coaching career as a youth coach at PEC Zwolle before moving to SC Cambuur to
become an assistant manager.
He moved to AZ Alkmaar in 2017 and stepped up
to become manager two years later. In his first season in charge, they were
second, level on points with leaders Ajax, when the Covid-19 pandemic brought
the season to a premature end.
He was sacked in December 2020 when it was
claimed that he had been negotiating with Feyenoord.
Slot confirmed on Thursday he wanted to make
the move to Liverpool, telling ESPN: "It seems clear to me that I would
like to work there."
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