“I can confirm that I will be new Liverpool manager next season” - Arne Slot says he will replace Jurgen Klopp as Reds manager
Arne Slot has confirmed he will be succeeding Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool. The Dutch coach is leaving Feyenoord and joining the Reds this summer.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reports that Slot signed his contract with the Merseysiders today (May 17). He also told the world that he would be taking the Anfield job:
"I can confirm that I will be new Liverpool manager next season."
Slot emerged as the frontrunner to replace Klopp shortly after Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso turned down a return. The Dutchman has earned plaudits for his exciting brand of football in the Eredivisie where he's led Feyenoord to the title and one KNVB Cup.
The Pride of South have won 96 of 147 games under Slot. He has often used a 4-3-3 formation which goes hand-in-hand with the setup has deployed throughout his nine-year reign.
Klopp is leaving Liverpool as a hero having ended the Merseyside giants' 30-year wait for league glory in 2020. His side won the Premier League, the UEFA Champions League, and six other major trophies.
The Reds are set for a massive transition this summer as the Slot era begins. The squad looks likely to be freshened up and veteran stars such as Thiago Alcantara, 33, and Joel Matip, 32, are following Klopp out of Anfield.
Jurgen Klopp is a fan of incoming Liverpool manager Arne Slot's brand of football
Klopp has wowed fans for nine years with his fast-paced, all-hands-on-deck playing philosophy at Liverpool. It's reaped results, including halting Manchester City's stranglehold on the Premier League in 2020.
Slot will look to bring his ideas to Anfield and he has the support of his predecessor. Klopp said last month (via Barrons.com):
"I like the way his team plays football. If he is the one, I like that he wants it. It's the best job in the world, best club in the world."
The Dutch tactician started his managerial career at AZ Alkmaar after working as an assistant at AFAS Stadion. He took over Feyenoord in July 2021 and ended their six-year title drought last year. They finished top of the Eredivisie table, with 25 wins and two defeats in 34 games.
Slot will have the backing of a new hierarchy at Liverpool, fronted by the highly-regarded Michael Edwards. The Reds' former football director returned to Anfield last month as the club's new chief executive of football.