'Moving fast': Liverpool ready to contact club and hire 45-year-old manager this week - journalist
24/04/2024 08:00
Liverpool are ramping up their efforts to bring in a replacement for Jurgen Klopp.
The Reds have so far been patiently assessing their options in the managerial market as they attempt to get a huge appointment spot on.
But with the end of the season fast approaching, things are now having to click into gear at Anfield.
The first signs of that truly happening were on Monday evening. Reports that previous favourite Ruben Amorim was now ‘unlikely’ to take the job suggested that FSG had a preferred alternative.
And on Tuesday, their number one choice became apparent. By the evening time of the same day, an update from journalist Ben Jacobs shows that things are getting very serious indeed for that candidate.
Liverpool ‘moving fast’ to tie up Arne Slot
Before Monday’s news broke about Amorim, few would have placed Feyenoord manager Arne Slot in the conversation for Liverpool.
However, there is a lot to like about the 45-year-old. Unless something drastic happens over the next few days, it looks like Michael Edwards has found his man.
And according to Jacobs, posting on X, Edwards and Liverpool are now ready to take things to the next level with Slot.
“Liverpool will intensify their pursuit of Arne Slot this week,” says the journalist.
“Contact expected with Slot and Feyenoord. Understand compensation Feyenoord want is €10m+ [£8m+]. Not as high as the €20m [£17m] Spurs quoted. Things moving fast. LFC have a good relationship with Slot's agent Rafaela Pimenta.”
| Club | Trophy |
| AZ Alkmaar 2019-20 | N/A |
| Feyenoord 2021-present | Europa Conference League Runners-up 21/22 Eredivisie 22/23 KNVB Cup 23/24 |
Why do Liverpool want Arne Slot
There’s not really much getting around this unfortunately. Slot is an underwhelming choice to replace Klopp at Liverpool.
That is not to say that the Dutchman is not a top manager. He has done very well at Feyenoord and even AZ Alkmaar before that. But with respect to those clubs, they’re not Liverpool.
Nevertheless, it’s important that Reds fans get behind Slot, if – as expected – it does end up being him.
From Edwards’ point of view, there is a lot to like about Slot, too. According to Dutch football expert Marcel van der Kraan for TalkSPORT, the former PEC Zwolle midfielder plays an ‘ultra attacking’ brand of football and is a disciple of Pep Guardiola. Sounds good.
More than that though, Slot has also shown himself to be effective on a tight budget at Feyenoord. He’s also overperformed in Europe and won over supporters at a tight-knit family style club. Interesting.
