After months of speculation, it appears Liverpool is finally closing in on the man to replace Jurgen Klopp at Anfield. A host of managers have been linked with the job since Klopp announced his plans to depart in January, most notably Xabi Alonso and Ruben Amorim.
But it is Feyenoord boss Arne Slot who is set to lead the post-Klopp era after the Reds agreed a compensation package with the Eredivisie side, reports The Athletic. Liverpool will now hold discussions with the Slot over his contract but the appointment is now a formality.
Slot will arrive at Liverpool with a decent reputation, having won the Eredivisie last season. His side ended Ajax's hold after back-to-back triumphs under Erik ten Hag in 2020/21 and 2021/22.
Ten Hag left Ajax for Manchester United at the start of last season and will test himself against former rival Slot next year, providing he retains his job at Old Trafford. The United boss finds himself under increasing pressure after a disappointing campaign.
The 54-year-old arrived in the Premier League with an excellent reputation, having also helped Ajax reach the Champions League final. But despite being two years into his tenure, he is yet to put his stamp on this United side, which is far too easy to play against and sits 13 points off the top four.
Former Liverpool player Jason McAteer also had his say on the potential appointment, believing he would bring a sense of continuity from Klopp, rather than completely ripping things up and starting from scratch. He said: "It is a little bit out of the blue. He has done a consistent job with Feyenoord.
"The manager has got to fit the club right now and not the other way round. Liverpool needs someone to come in and keep the momentum and keep how it plays. There isn't a lot of top managers out there at the minute."
Keys went on to suggest the appointment is driven by Michael Edwards, who has reunited with Liverpool's FSG owners as their CEO of Football. He added: "I think Michael Edwards' return means he wants a coach rather than a manager. He wants control."
Liverpool.com says: Slot is set to be the man trusted to lead the next era at Liverpool and he will have the full support of the Anfield crowd once he starts his tenure. He has done a fine job with Feyenoord and while it will be a big step up, he appears to have the personality and credentials to handle it. Ten Hag has struggled at United because he has been unable to adapt, or simply refused to. You would not expect his countryman to follow suit.
