Arne Slot is set to become Liverpool’s next manager after the terms of his move from Feyenoord were agreed in principle between the two clubs on Friday.
Liverpool and Feyenoord have been negotiating a compensation package since the Anfield club made an official move for the 45-year-old earlier this week. The two parties have now reached a verbal agreement over the deal, which will see Feyenoord receive €9m (£7.7m) plus €2m in add-ons for a coach who has two years remaining on his contract.
Slot, who publicly declared his desire to replace Jürgen Klopp before Feyenoord’s victory at Go Ahead Eagles on Thursday, is also understood to have verbally agreed contract terms with Liverpool. As well as negotiating with Feyenoord over the compensation, Anfield officials have been discussing personal terms with Slot’s agent, Rafaela Pimenta. Confirmation of Slot’s appointment as Liverpool manager could come quickly now that the financial arrangements are in place. Sipke Hulshoff, Feyenoord’s assistant coach, and the club’s head of performance, Ruben Peeters, are expected to follow Slot to Anfield once they have received the necessary paperwork.
Liverpool moved swiftly for Slot knowing he would be of interest to several leading European clubs this summer. His playing style, which is not a radical departure from Klopp’s, his success with Feyenoord, where he has won the Eredivisie title and KVNB Cup in the past two seasons, and track record of improving young talent all appealed to the Liverpool hierarchy. Their recruitment process has been led by Michael Edwards, the new chief executive officer of football for Fenway Sports Group, Liverpool’s owner, and incoming sporting director Richard Hughes.
Klopp claimed Slot would be walking into the “best job in the world and the best club in the world” if appointed as his successor.
The outgoing Liverpool manager said on Friday: “Obviously now I even help by not finishing on a high, it looks like, so there is space for improvement. It is a great job, a great team, with fantastic people. I am not involved in the process, just to clarify, but if he is the one then I like that he really wants the job. I like the way his team plays football and all the things I hear about him is he’s a good guy. Good coach, good guy. I’m looking forward for the club if he is the man.”