Arne Slot appears set to exchange Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool supervisor after an settlement was reached between Feyenoord and the Reds relating to the extremely regarded tactician. Klopp introduced again in January that he could be leaving Anfield on the finish of the 2023-24 season and the Premier League giants are actually closing in on the German’s alternative in Slot who will be part of this summer season.

“The one factor I can say about it’s that the golf equipment are in negotiations,” Slot instructed ESPN Netherlands earlier than Feyenoord’s 3-1 win away at Go Forward Eagles earlier this week. “The golf equipment need to do their job. After which I’m within the ready room and because the ‘predominant character,’ I’ve to respect that. It can undoubtedly turn out to be clear within the coming days. It appears clear to me that I wish to go to Liverpool,” he added. “Now I’m ready to see whether or not the golf equipment attain an settlement. I’m very assured in that.”

The 45-year-old’s confidence was justified as Feyenoord and Liverpool reportedly agreed phrases over an preliminary compensation package deal little over 24 hours later — a $9.6 million deal which might rise by $2.1 million with add-ons. The Reds now must agree contractual phrases and backroom workers appointments with the previous AZ Alkmaar and SC Cambuur boss earlier than an official announcement of any kind may be made by both aspect.

So, to the foremost questions relating to Liverpool’s chosen candidate.

Who’s Arne Slot?

A midfielder throughout his taking part in days, Slot’s profession solely stayed inside the borders of the Netherlands with greater than 100 outings with each PEC Zwolle and NAC Breda earlier than a workers function with the previous upon retirement. From there, the Bergentheim native moved to Cambuur as an assistant supervisor which ended up being a primary senior managerial stint as a part of an interim job share with Sipke Hulshoff which noticed the group narrowly miss out on promotion to the Eredivisie but in addition impress within the 2016-17 KNVB Cup together with the elimination of titleholders AFC Ajax.

Cambuur went out on penalties to AZ however the Cheese Farmers had seen sufficient from Slot to make him John van den Brom’s assistant in 2017. AZ completed third and fourth within the Eredivisie over the following two years earlier than Slot took over for the 2019-20 season. After a quick begin domestically, the group reached the spherical of 32 within the UEFA Europa League however got here second to Ajax within the Dutch topflight based mostly on purpose distinction due to the COVID-impacted end to the time period. Regardless of a 1-0 win over SSC Napoli within the 2020-21 UEL group stage, Slot was sacked in December of 2020 for having agreed to take over as Feyenoord boss. He left AZ seventh within the Eredivisie however with a mean of two.11 factors per sport — the very best ratio of any head coach within the membership’s historical past.

What did Slot do with Feyenoord?

Slot did certainly take over as Feyenoord boss for the 2021-22 season and his affect at De Kuip was nothing in need of seismic. In his first season, The Membership On The Meuse posted a 20-year finest European displaying by reaching the first-ever UEFA Europa Convention League remaining which they misplaced 1-0 to AS Roma having seen off the likes of Olympique de Marseille to get there. Feyenoord additionally improved from fifth within the Dutch topflight to 3rd which noticed Slot named supervisor of the yr.

Nonetheless, it was the 2022-23 marketing campaign which actually made his identify as Feyenoord gained their first Eredivisie title since 2017 and the sixteenth of the membership’s historical past in addition to reaching the Europa League quarterfinals — once more falling to Jose Mourinho’s Roma — and the KNVB Cup semifinals. Slot’s star was properly and really rising by this time and his contract had been prolonged which didn’t cease Tottenham Hotspur from looking in 2023. He in the end opted to stick with his prolonged deal and though he’s unlikely to be defending the Eredivisie title forward of PSV Eindhoven and noticed his aspect fall to Roma on the continental scenes for a 3rd consecutive yr within the UEL knockout spherical playoffs, Slot did get his fingers on the KNVB Cup — the membership’s 14th — earlier this month.

How does Slot set his groups up?

The transition between Klopp and Slot is unlikely to be as excessive as another handovers have been prior to now and the Dutchman’s forward-thinking type and private contact made him the apparent alternative for the Anfield gig in response to former Liverpool and Feyenoord participant Dirk Kuyt: “His type of play is strictly what Liverpool supporters like to see at Anfield,” stated the ex-Oranje man to The Athletic. “He’s additionally good with the media as a result of he explains himself very clearly. As Feyenoord have so many international gamers, he conducts his conferences in English so there will likely be no points over language. He is aware of precisely what he needs and he believes in it. It’s engaging, attacking soccer. He likes to play an aggressive protection, excessive depth, with the sport performed within the opponent’s half, however it’s his means. It’s totally different from Klopp however a variety of the rules are the identical.” Even Klopp himself seems to endorse the selection: “I like the way in which his group play soccer,” stated the German earlier this week. “All of the issues I hear about him as a man say he is an effective man.”

Which gamers have flourished beneath Slot?

The apparent names to have benefitted beneath Slot which will likely be acquainted to Premier League followers are the likes of Luis Sinisterra, Tyrell Malacia, Marcos Senesi, Fredrik Aursnes and Orkun Kokcu. Nonetheless, Kuyt believes that Slot’s worth shouldn’t be measured merely by way of the gamers who’ve grown in worth since taking part in for him: “What struck me about Arne was his capacity to make the gamers consider in what he believes in,” he stated. “I talked to a few of them after I was there they usually all spoke so extremely about him. They love how he organizes the coaching classes and the way he will get his concepts throughout. He is a superb communicator and man supervisor. Watching Feyenoord in recent times, you’ll be able to see his signature on the group in how he needs soccer to be performed. Everybody purchased into his imaginative and prescient. He will get the very best out of individuals.

“The job he took on after arriving from AZ in 2021 was not a simple one,” added Kuyt. “Some questioned whether or not he was the best man as a result of he had not beforehand skilled a prime Dutch group, however Feyenoord completed third and reached the ultimate of the Europa Convention League, the place they misplaced narrowly to Jose Mourinho’s Roma. Earlier than his second season, he misplaced a variety of key gamers. Arne successfully needed to construct a brand new aspect. Individuals doubted the brand new gamers who arrived and stated he would want time to get issues proper, however he proved them improper. Outperforming Ajax and PSV to turn out to be champions was unbelievable as a result of no one anticipated that initially of the season.”

What occurred with Amorim?

From the second that Klopp made his intentions clear, Liverpool focused former participant Xabi Alonso who has since led Bayer Leverkusen to their first ever Bundesliga title and knocked Bayern Munich off of their perch on the summit of German soccer. The Spaniard just isn’t carried out there and will but lead Die Werkself to Europa League and DFB Pokal success for an unimaginable treble, however he dominated himself out of the working for an Anfield return in March earlier than the German title was even sewn up. It was then the flip of Sporting CP’s Ruben Amorim who has since been linked with West Ham United however Slot emerged because the frontrunner and is now set to succeed Klopp who has been in place since 2015.

How might Slot go well with Liverpool?

Importantly, Slot seems to be lower from related material to Klopp which will likely be music to the ears of Liverpool followers though the German will likely be a particularly troublesome act to observe. Kuyt believes that the doubters may very well be made to eat their phrases, although: “He’s prepared for the following step in his profession. The doubters will say, ‘However Arne Slot has by no means skilled a international group,’ however we all know how profitable Jurgen proved to be and he had not coached exterior his homeland earlier than he got here to Liverpool. You can’t evaluate Feyenoord with Liverpool however Arne is used to coping with strain and excessive expectations. When he has been confronted with troublesome conditions, when outcomes didn’t work out, when he was confronted with troublesome questions from the media, he at all times stayed in management and caught to his rules and the imaginative and prescient of how he needed to play.

“Arne loves the sport and thinks about soccer 24/7,” added Kuyt. “That zeal shines by when he speaks. He’s at all times learning different groups and fascinated by how his group can enhance and evolve. Tactically, he’s very robust. What individuals like most within the Netherlands is that he has his personal imaginative and prescient, his type of play. These days managers at all times get in contrast. Is it the Klopp type? Is it the Mourinho type? Is it the Guardiola type? The reply is that Slot has his personal type. He does nEveryot copy anybody.”

Is Slot Klopp succession materials?

Following in Klopp’s footsteps will likely be extraordinarily onerous for anyone as was the case with Sir Alex Ferguson at United and Arsene Wenger at Arsenal. Klopp himself has had no function in selecting his personal alternative however did publicly counsel that Slot was a alternative that he might get behind — particularly stylistically: “I like that so much — good man, good coach and searching ahead for the membership if he’s the answer,” stated the German. “I’m more than pleased, it sounds all actually good. Greatest job on the planet, finest membership on the planet.” Harnessing the Anfield crowd will likely be a problem however Kuyt has skilled it in addition to Feyenoord’s De Kuip and he believes that Slot will likely be a hit: “At Feyenoord, he s cherished by the followers,” he stated. “They don’t wish to lose him and it is going to be unhappy to see him depart — however from my perspective, if he has to go anyplace, I’m blissful that it’s to Liverpool. He’s not solely an excellent supervisor, but in addition an excellent human being.”