Arne Slot: Liverpool agree deal with Feyenoord for new coach

Liverpool and Feyenoord have agreed a compensation package that will allow Arne Slot to become Jurgen Klopp’s successor at Anfield.

The 45-year-old Dutchman is now free to join Liverpool in the summer after the conclusion to Feyenoord’s Eredivisie campaign.

The Athletic reported earlier this week that Liverpool had an opening offer of €9million (£7.7m, $9.6m) rejected by Feyenoord but the two parties have now reached an agreement.

The figures around the agreement are yet to be confirmed with Dutch sources telling The Athletic that the agreed fee is between €13m and €15m (£11.1m and £12.8m) and sources closer to Liverpool saying the fee is around €11m (£9.4m).

Slot confirmed on Thursday that he wanted the Liverpool job, telling ESPN before Feyenoord’s Eredivisie win over Go Ahead Eagles that he was “confident” an agreement would be reached between the two sides for a move to go through.

All you need to know about Arne Slot

Feyenoord assistant coach Sipke Hulshoff and head of performance Ruben Peeters are set to join Slot at Liverpool.

Slot’s imminent appointment was endorsed by Klopp at his press conference on Friday afternoon ahead of Liverpool’s Premier League match against West Ham United.

“What I like a lot about it is if he is the one then he wants to take the job – he’s desperate, excited, let’s go for it,” said Klopp, who is stepping down at the end of season after nine years at the helm.

“I like the way his team play football and all the things I hear about him as a guy. Some people I know, know him, I don’t know him yet. Good coach, good guy.

“If he’s the solution for the club then I am more than happy. It’s not up to me to judge but it all sounds really good to me.”

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Liverpool’s interest in Slot only became apparent earlier this week, as they placed emphasis on discretion and showing respect to Feyenoord ahead of last Sunday’s Dutch Cup final, a match they then won against Nijmegen.

Slot guided Feyenoord to the Eredivisie title last season and his side are second in the table with three matches remaining this term. Following last season’s title win, Slot attracted the interest of Tottenham Hotspur but the 45-year-old eventually turned them down and they appointed Ange Postecoglou instead.

Slot has won plaudits for his attacking style of football and ability to develop younger players — attributes which closely align with what Liverpool are looking for as they search to replace Jurgen Klopp, who announced his departure from the club at the end of this season in January.

Xabi Alonso — before he announced last month he is to remain at Bayer Leverkusen for next season — and Ruben Amorim were among the other candidates Liverpool considered to replace Klopp before they settled on Slot. After their arrivals earlier this year, Fenway Sports Group’s CEO of football, Michael Edwards, and Richard Hughes, Liverpool’s newly appointed sporting director, have taken charge of the managerial search.

Liverpool are third in the table and face West Ham United in their next match.

Why have Liverpool chosen Slot?

Analysis by The Athletic’s Liverpool correspondent James Pearce

Liverpool have got their man.

Having assessed the merits of a wide range of managerial candidates across Europe, a search led by Fenway Sports Group’s CEO of football Michael Edwards, and new sporting director Richard Hughes ended with them knocking at Feyenoord’s door.

After a lengthy process of due diligence, Arne Slot was deemed the best possible fit in terms of the main criteria for the job.

His attacking, high-intensity, attractive playing style was a big part of the appeal for Edwards and Hughes. They believe it will suit the squad of players he inherits.

So too his proven track record of developing young players as well as his man-management and communication skills. The character references gathered from those who have worked alongside him were glowing.

It’s undoubtedly a big step up for Slot. There are some huge boots to fill with Jurgen Klopp moving on.

The pressure and scrutiny at Anfield will be a world away from life in Rotterdam. It represents something of a gamble given that Slot hasn’t coached in one of Europe’s five major leagues previously.

But in truth, anyone who Liverpool went for after Xabi Alonso ruled himself out of the running would have divided opinion.

Slot’s body of work in Holland is mightily impressive. Now he has to repay the faith show in him.

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(Photo by Rico Brouwer/Soccrates/Getty Images)