LLiverpool FC has announced the appointment of Arne Slot as the club’s new head coach, marking him as the 21st permanent manager in their 131-year history.
Slot has signed a three-year contract and will officially begin his role on June 1, 2024, following Jurgen Klopp’s departure after his final game as manager.
In a terse statement, the club said, “Liverpool Football Club can announce Arne Slot has agreed a deal to become the club’s new head coach, formally taking up the position on June 1, 2024, subject to a work permit.”
This transition sees Klopp leaving Anfield after 491 games in charge, along with key members of his coaching staff, including Pepijn Lijnders, Peter Krawietz, Vitor Matos, John Achterberg, Jack Robinson, and fitness staff Andreas Kornmayer and Andreas Schlumberger.
Slot emerged as Liverpool’s top candidate to replace Klopp after Xabi Alonso chose to remain at Bayer Leverkusen.
An official approach was made to Feyenoord following initial contact with the 45-year-old’s representatives.
Since Slot’s contract lacked a release clause, a compensation deal was reached, amounting to around €11 million. This agreement includes the integration of three of Slot’s backroom staff: assistant manager Sipke Hulshoff, head of performance Ruben Peeters, and technical advisor Etienne Reijnen.
Identified through a data-driven search led by Liverpool’s director of research William Spearman, in collaboration with Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes, Slot was seen as the best fit due to his achievements at Feyenoord and his coaching philosophy.
Other candidates considered included Sporting CP’s Ruben Amorim, Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi, and Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann.
Unlike Klopp’s traditional managerial role, Slot has been appointed strictly as a head coach. His debut game will be a pre-season friendly against Real Betis in the United States on July 26.
Slot, 45, joins Liverpool after three successful seasons at Feyenoord, where he led the team to their first Eredivisie title in six years in 2023.
Prior to Feyenoord, Slot managed AZ Alkmaar, where he had the team at the top of the league until the pandemic halted the season.
Slot’s playing career was entirely in the Netherlands, and he has taken a similar path in his managerial career. Known for his high-energy attacking football, Slot often employs a 4-2-3-1 formation but is flexible with his tactics, also using a 4-3-3 setup.
His Feyenoord team boasted the best defensive record in the Eredivisie, conceding only 26 goals in 34 games, and scored the second-most goals 92.
Although they finished second this season, they accumulated more points than when they won the league in 2023.
According to the Coaches Voice, Slot’s teams do not overcommit to the high press and are comfortable dropping into a more reserved block if immediate ball recovery isn’t feasible.
