Feyenoord boss confirmed as Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool replacement

Feyenoord manager Arne Slot confirmed his appointment as the next Liverpool manager during a news conference on Friday, per The Athletic. Slot signed his contract with Liverpool earlier in the day, according to Fabrizio Romano.

“I can confirm that I will become the trainer there next year,” Slot said during his final pre-match press conference with Feyenoord. The Eredivisie runners-up will play its final match of the season at home on Sunday.

Slot will replace Jurgen Klopp who announced his impending departure from Liverpool in January. In April The Athletic reported that Liverpool and Feyenoord had agreed to compensation for Slot’s services. Feyenoord assistant coach Sipke Hulshoff and head of performance Ruben Peeters are expected to follow Slot to Liverpool.

In his second season in charge of Feyenoord in 2022-23, Slot led the club to its first league title since 2017. The Dutch champions also reached the quarterfinal of the Europa League, losing to the eventual runners-up Roma.

Despite losing only two league matches this season, Feyenoord will finish second in the Eredivisie behind PSV, who hold a seven-point lead heading into the final matchday. Slot’s side failed to make it out of their Champions League group, eventually getting knocked out by Roma once again in the Europa League.

Following an 18-year playing career in the Netherlands, Slot entered the coaching ranks and got his initial first-team managerial breakthrough in 2016 alongside Hulshoff with second-tier Dutch side Cambuur. Slot left the club the following year to become an assistant with AZ Alkmaar.

After two seasons as an assistant, AZ appointed Slot its head coach for the 2019-20 season. He remained in this position until December 5, 2020, when he was sacked for negotiating a deal to become Feyenoord’s next head coach. He officially joined Feyenoord the following July.

Slot’s expectations at Liverpool

There is no overstating just how big the shoes Arne Slot has to fill are as manager of Liverpool. Jurgen Klopp leaves behind an incredible legacy and track record that will live with the Liverpool faithful forever.

Far too often new managers come into a club with lofty expectations and crumble. It’s almost impossible and unfair for someone to have to replace Klopp at Liverpool, but Slot voiced his desire for the job and earned a shot at following the legendary German’s incredible run with the club.

Klopp said in April that he has heard good things about Slot and hopes both he and the club can make things work.

“What I like a lot about it is if he is the one then he wants to take the job – he’s desperate, excited, let’s go for it,” Klopp said, per The Athletic.

“I like the way his team play football and all the things I hear about him as a guy. Some people I know, know him, I don’t know him yet. Good coach, good guy.

“If he’s the solution for the club then I am more than happy. It’s not up to me to judge but it all sounds really good to me.”

There are questions surrounding the squad that will be at Slot’s disposal come July, including rumors of an exit for Mohamed Salah. What players are available for Slot will play a factor in predicting his first season with Liverpool, but trophy expectations come with the club’s history regardless.

Klopp won five major trophies during his nine years at Liverpool, including the 2019 Champions League and the 2019-2020 Premier League title. Putting those expectations on Arne Slot’s back is unjust, but success does need to come quickly for the Dutchman.

Though the club has yet to make an announcement, a new era of Liverpool football is set to officially begin this summer.