Feyenoord boss Arne Slot has become the leading candidate to replace Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager at the end of the season

Feyenoord boss Arne Slot has become the leading candidate to replace Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager at the end of the season

Feyenoord boss Arne Slot has emerged as a strong contender to replace Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager.

The 45-year-old features highly on the Reds’ shortlist, though This Is Anfield understands any appointment is far from a foregone conclusion.

That is because of interest from Barcelona and Bayern Munich, who will also be seeking new head coaches this summer.

However, Liverpool believe Slot fills the criteria set during the process to identify a manager to take on the task of replacing Klopp.

• READ: Who is Arne Slot? The new named linked as next Liverpool manager

The Dutchman has succeeded on a modest budget at Feyenoord, winning the Eredivisie and KNVB Cup during his time in charge, as well as reaching the Europa Conference League final.

Those achievements had led to interest from Tottenham, whose advances were rejected last summer before they ultimately turned to Ange Postecoglou.

Chelsea had also previously considered Slot as a potential managerial appointment.

High-intensity attacking football

Slot’s playing career was spent entirely in the Netherlands and largely with PEC Zwolle and NEC Breda, while he moved into management with AZ Alkmaar in 2019.

After a season-and-a-half in charge, he left to make the switch to Feyenoord, who he led to the Eredivisie title in his second campaign in 2022/23.

Feyenoord are yet to finish out of the top three under Slot, and this season are challenging PSV Eindhoven for top spot having already lifted the KNVB Cup at the weekend.

A relatively young manager, Slot typically employs a 4-2-3-1 formation which is built on a high-intensity style, while his man-management skills have been widely praised.

MORE: Who is Arne Slot? Quick guide to the Dutch coach

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Arne Slot is at the forefront of Liverpool's search for a replacement for Jurgen Klopp.

The Feyenoord head coach ticks all their key criteria for the position, although Sky Sports News understands the process is not a foregone conclusion, with the Eredivisie club determined to keep Slot.

There is also interest from other top clubs and Liverpool are still in dialogue with several options, but the 45-year-old is a strong candidate.

Slot, who secured the KNVB Cup last weekend and led Feyenoord to their first title in six years last season, appeals to Liverpool due to his aggressive, full-throttle style.

He has drilled his team to be adept at turning defensive actions into shooting opportunities and they top the Eredivisie for tackles won in the opposition's final third.

Feyenoord have the best defence in the league and the second-best offensive metrics.

Slot has proved capable of improving individuals as well as the collective, while operating on a smaller budget than his core competitors, and his penchant for a 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-3 formation fits Liverpool's squad.

Slot has previously been approached by Tottenham, Chelsea and Leeds. He signed a new contract last May to keep him at Feyenoord until 2026 but has referenced a desire to make the next step in his career.

Compensation is anticipated to be in the region of £9m if a deal is to be closed.

Sporting manager Ruben Amorim was under consideration by Liverpool but sources say he is no longer in the frame, as it stands.

West Ham are interested in Amorim but Julen Lopetegui, the former Wolves, Real Madrid and Spain boss, and Paulo Fonseca, currently in charge of Lille, are considered the frontrunners.

'He has all the hallmarks of Johan Cruyff'

Slot took over from Dick Advocaat at Feyenoord for the start of the 21/22 season with the club finishing fifth the previous season. Just two years later, they were champions of the Eredivisie. He built a team with the key combination of playing intense, attack-minded football that presses whilst also being able to win.

Feyenoord look set to fail to defend their crown this season as they are second behind PSV Eindhoven, nine points adrift with four games to play. In Europe they finished third in their Champions League group before dropping into the Europa League where they were knocked out by Roma on penalties in February.

Speaking to Sky Sports in May 2023, Dutch football journalist Marcel van der Kraan said: "He's a really good manager. I've followed Feyenoord for 40 years. Not since the days of Johan Cruyff at Ajax in the 1980s has there been a coach so attack-minded in the Dutch league. Cruyff only had a few disciples who followed him and one of them was Pep Guardiola.

"I would say Slot is a Guardiola-style manager based on everything I've seen over the past couple of years. The fans of Feyenoord can't believe what they've seen over that time."

What has Slot said about managing in Premier League?

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Feyenoord head coach Slot revealed his admiration for the Premier League last May when he was previously linked with a job at Tottenham

Last summer, Slot was one of the leading contenders for the then-vacant Tottenham manager's role and Sky Sports News reporter Gary Cotterill went to Rotterdam to cover the story.

Cotterill found Slot to be "engaging, polite, very smiley, he's got presence and charisma - and he's funny" when writing about his trip to get the lowdown on the Feyenoord boss, who has been open about his desire to manage in the Premier League.

"My next step will not be a club in Holland," he said in May 2023.

"If that is my next step, then I've failed completely. The normal next step will be to go abroad and I've always said the best league in the world is the Premier League."

What happened with Tottenham's approach for Slot?

Spurs were determined to get Slot last summer after he secured the Eredivisie title with Feyenoord.

However, Slot ruled himself out of the running to take over in north London before signing a new contract at Feyenoord a few days later which runs until 2026.

"I'm not done here yet," Slot said after the announcement of his new deal.

Image: Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy was keen on securing Arnie Slot last summer

The potential deal with Spurs never got to any formal stage of discussions with him or Feyenoord and Spurs' bosses felt that Slot used their interest in him to get an improved contract in the Netherlands.

Ange Postecoglou was eventually appointed by Spurs from Celtic.

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Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp rotated his squad for the 3-1 win at Fulham on Sunday

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp rotated his squad for the 3-1 win at Fulham on Sunday

Wolves boss Gary O’Neil is not under consideration to be the next Liverpool manager.

It had been reported on Tuesday that the former Portsmouth and Middlesbrough midfielder had been interviewed by the Reds as part of their search for a successor to Jurgen Klopp.

However, This Is Anfield understands that those suggestions are wide of the mark and that O’Neil won’t be in the running.

The 40-year-old has ties to both FSG CEO of Football Michael Edwards and Liverpool’s new Sporting Director Richard Hughes after all three met at Portsmouth.

But having managed at Premier League level for just two seasons, O’Neil always looked an unlikely candidate for the Anfield job.

He was, in fact, dismissed from his role at Bournemouth just over a year ago by Hughes, who was then technical director at the south-coast club.

The Cherries opted to go down a different route in appointing Andoni Iraola, and the Spaniard has subsequently enjoyed an impressive debut campaign.

O’Neil has since continued to bolster his reputation at Wolves, but remains in the early stages of his managerial career.

Who is in the running?

Feyenoord manager Arne Slot has emerged as the frontrunner according to the bookmakers at least, while other names still considered on the table include Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi, Thomas Tuchel and Thiago Motta.

UPDATE: Feyenoord boss Arne Slot now strong contender for new Liverpool manager

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Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp expects Diogo Jota to be sidelined for two weeks after suffering another injury setback.

The Portugal international only returned to action earlier this month following knee ligament damage but complained of discomfort in his hip after scoring in Sunday’s 3-1 win at Fulham.

Jota’s injury a blow to Liverpool’s Premier League title challenge with the 27-year-old likely unavailable for Wednesday’s Merseyside derby at Goodison, Saturday’s trip to West Ham United and the home clash with Tottenham Hotspur on May 5.

“Diogo scored the goal, felt a little bit and now we found out it’s a little bit more so he will be out for two weeks,” Klopp said.

“Before which game where he didn’t start (Atalanta away), he got a knock – normal challenge, then felt a little bit at the hip. That was then fine because we didn’t start him, brought him on, that was alright.

“Then he started the last game, was obviously okay and then with the finish….. It’s a small one but we are late in the season so obviously now it’s not a great moment for each injury pretty much.

“When I say two weeks, actually it’s pretty much nothing, but enough to not be available.”

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With Liverpool trailing leaders Arsenal on goal difference and a point ahead of third-placed Manchester City, who have a game in hand, the final Merseyside derby of Klopp’s reign is crucial in the context of the title race.

Jota’s absence is set to lead to Darwin Nunez earning a recall after being on the bench for the past two matches.

“It’s super important for us — that’s clear,” Klopp added.

“Goodison Park can create quite a good atmosphere. If you play Liverpool, it’s about more than just three points – that’s how everyone sees it there. We will never get underestimated when we arrive there.

“I am very positive. This last part of the season is not about playing the freshest football of the whole year. That would be strange with how the schedule works out. But you have to win games and I think we know how to do that. We have to overcome each opponent in a specific way.”

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(Matt McNulty/Getty Images)

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Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp expects Diogo Jota to be sidelined for two weeks after suffering another injury setback. The Portugal international only returned to action earlier this month following knee ligament damage but complained of discomfort in his hip after scoring in Sunday’s 3-1 win at...

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Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has confirmed that Diogo Jota is set to spend two weeks on the sidelines

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It took less than three minutes of Liverpool's win over Fulham on Sunday for Trent Alexander-Arnold to demonstrate the unique qualities that make him so important to Jurgen Klopp's side.

After 90 seconds, a searching pass from deep in his own half which almost put Luis Diaz in behind. Soon after that, another which found him in space to attack on the right. Then, at the other end, an inch-perfect cross from which the Colombian should have scored.

Alexander-Arnold's most memorable contribution was of course the stunning free-kick which later broke the deadlock at Craven Cottage.

But, on his first Premier League start since February following a knee injury, that brilliant opening goal was just one facet of a performance which showed the transformative potential of his return.

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Jamie Carragher believes Trent Alexander-Arnold is a unique player and feels he plays like Kevin De Bruyne at right-back

"It's super important," Klopp said of the 24-year-old's comeback afterwards. "One of the shooting stars of this season is Conor Bradley, who played the position and played in a few games where we all thought, 'Oh wow. What was that?' But nobody is like Trent.

"Nobody is like Trent."

Certainly, there is nobody capable of replicating his interpretation of the right-back role in this team. The sight of Alexander-Arnold popping up in midfield is nothing new. It was something, though, to see the sheer variety of positions he took up against Fulham.

Consider those early passes aimed towards Diaz.

The first came from the right-hand side of Liverpool's back three in possession, with left-back Andrew Robertson pushed forward on the opposite flank. Nothing too unusual there.

Image: Alexander-Arnold's first pass for Luis Diaz came from the right of Liverpool's back three

The second, though, was delivered from the centre of the back three, having swapped positions with right-sided centre-back Jarell Quansah to assume a role akin to that of a quarterback.

Image: Alexander-Arnold's second pass for Diaz came from the centre of Liverpool's defence

This interchanging of positions with Quansah in possession became a feature of Liverpool's performance on the day, the aim being to maximise Alexander-Arnold's influence.

Image: Another example of Alexander-Arnold building the play in the quarterback role

It worked. Alexander-Arnold had more time on the ball and a broader range of options to aim at. According to Opta's advanced metrics, he was involved in more open-play passing sequences than anyone else on the pitch despite missing the last 10 minutes plus stoppage time.

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"The manager has told me to get into that position to try to get on the ball and find those passes over the top," Alexander-Arnold explained to Sky Sports afterwards.

But it was not just about playing long passes. At other times, he played short instead. In the example below, in the 16th minute, he threads a clever disguised pass through to Diaz, who has also drifted inside, allowing Liverpool to attack through the centre.

Image: Alexander-Arnold shapes to pass to his right but instead feeds Diaz ahead of him

And yet, despite often operating from this new position at the base of the team, Alexander-Arnold still found time to roam into midfield, where he helped to sustain pressure, and towards the right side, from where he created that glorious early chance for Diaz.

Image: Alexander-Arnold's diagonal cross for Diaz provided a glorious early chance

"I've described him in the past as being like Kevin De Bruyne at right-back," said Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher afterwards. "I'm looking at him today thinking he's got a free role.

"I think there are a lot of full-backs playing the role where they are going into midfield. They go there to get on the ball, they are trying to stop counter-attacks. But this feels a little bit like he can go between the centre-backs, he can go into midfield, he can go wide.

"He can basically go wherever the space is because he has got such quality on the ball."

That quality on the ball was particularly helpful straight after half-time against Fulham, when the hosts were seeking to build on Timothy Castagne's equaliser in first-half stoppage time.

Liverpool needed cool-headedness to tilt the momentum back in their favour following that sucker-punch and it was noticeable how they looked to Alexander-Arnold to supply it.

Indeed, nearly a quarter of his 74 attempted passes came in the eight-minute period between the start of the second half and Ryan Gravenberch scoring Liverpool's second.

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Watch free highlights from Liverpool's win against Fulham

Among them were a stunning switch of play to find Robertson, a nonchalant lay-off for Diaz using his chest, and a slide-rule pass through the lines to release Gravenberch.

His confidence and composure on the ball put the team at ease at a crucial point of the game, while also maintaining their attacking impetus and ensuring Fulham were forced onto the back foot.

The goal, when it came, owed a lot to Gravenberch's individual quality but it was thanks to Alexander-Arnold that Liverpool were able to navigate that potentially stormy period and it was thanks to him, too, that they had gone in front in the first place.

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His free-kick, lifted into the top corner in sublime style, was another example of what Liverpool lacked without him. When finishing simple chances becomes an issue, as it had for Klopp's side recently, you need someone who can convert the difficult ones.

The goal was his sixth from a direct free-kick in the Premier League, putting him behind only Jamie Redknapp and Steven Gerrard among Liverpool players. It also took him to 100 goal involvements for the club, an extraordinary tally for a right-back of only 24 years old.

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Alexander-Arnold says Liverpool will treat each of their remaining five games of the season as a final

But then, his performance against Fulham was a reminder that he is so much more than a right-back. Liverpool will need his control and quality again in the bear pit of Goodison Park, live on Sky Sports on Wednesday, and in the games remaining after that.

But their title hopes already look brighter now that he is back. It took him less than three minutes against Fulham to show why.

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