Liverpool have reached an agreement with Feyenoord for Arne Slot to succeed Jurgen Klopp as manager, British media have reported. The Press Association said a compensation package had already been agreed for the 45-year-old specialist, who had two years left on his contract.
The BBC claims the deal is worth up to £9.4m (€10.9m). On Thursday, Slott said he was "confident" he would get the Anfield job. "I would like to go to Liverpool. Now I'm waiting to see if the clubs will reach an agreement. I'm very confident about that," he told reporters.
Slot moved to Feyenoord in 2021 after impressing in his first managerial role at AZ Alkmaar. At the end of his first season, he led the Dutch giants to their first ever Europa League final, where they lost 1-0 to Jose Mourinho's Roma. Slott then brought De Kuip just its second title in 24 years last season before signing a new three-year contract.
Klopp will step down at the end of this season after a nine-year reign that brought the club the Champions League trophy in 2019 and the Premier League trophy a year later. "I like the way his team plays football," Klopp told reporters when asked to highlight Slott's qualities.
“I don't know him, but some people who know him say he's a good guy. I like this very much. So a good coach, a good person. I'm looking forward for the club, if he's the solution, if he's the man, I'm more than happy. It's the best job in the world, the best club in the world. Great job, great team, fantastic people. Really interesting work," he added.
Feyenoord are currently second in the Eredivisie table, with PSV Eindhoven nine points clear at the top. Bayer Leverkusen coach and former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso was initially the favorite to succeed Klopp. However, Alonso is committed to staying at Leverkusen after leading them to their first ever Bundesliga title.
Sporting Lisbon coach Ruben Amorim has also been linked with the Liverpool vacancy, but is understood to have held talks with West Ham about replacing David Moyes next season.
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk said Slott's attacking tactics could be the perfect fit for the club. "I think Arne Sloot is probably one of the best Dutch coaches at the moment," Van Dijk said. /BGNES
