Feyenoord’s coach, Arne Slot, has confirmed for the first time that he will succeed Jürgen Klopp as Liverpool’s manager.
An agreement for Slot to replace Klopp has been in place for three weeks but there has been no official announcement while Liverpool prepare to give their legendary manager a fitting send-off at Anfield on Sunday. However, at a press conference on Friday for Sunday’s match against Excelsior, Slot said: “I can confirm that I will become the trainer there next year.
“Until now I was not thinking about this being the buildup to my last match, but that starts coming now. At the beginning of the week you are thinking about training and those kind of things. But the feeling gets stronger now. That is why I’m a little bit late now [for the press conference], because I wanted to say goodbye to some people personally and take time for them, more than just shaking hands.
“So yeah, the feeling grows. I understand that good results help, but it is very nice to feel that people really are thinking it’s a pity that I’m leaving.”
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Liverpool are expected to announce the appointment next week, once Klopp has ended his eight-and-a-half-year reign against Wolves, with Slot’s contract and a compensation package with Feyenoord agreed. The Dutch club will receive €9m (£7.7m) plus €2m in add-ons for a coach who won the Eredivisie title last season and the KVNB Cup this term.
Slot’s assistant at Feyenoord, Sipke Hulshoff, is expected to follow him to Anfield having resigned as the Netherlands’ assistant coach this week to be available for the start of pre-season training with Liverpool.
Feyenoord confirmed Slot’s departure, posting a video on X saying: “The Arne Slot era is coming to an end. Let’s enjoy the last moments.”
