Who is Arne Slot? | OneFootball

Liverpool Identify Managerial Target: Feyenoord Boss the Priority

With Jurgen Klopp’s departure on the horizon, Michael Edwards will be looking to speed up the recruitment of the German’s replacement. According to a report from Paul Joyce, Liverpool are set to make Feyenoord boss, Arne Slot, their priority managerial target.

That report has raised eyebrows amongst the Liverpool supporters, with many questioning the credentials of the Dutchman. This news also follows yesterday’s reports that Ruben Amorim could be on the verge of joining West Ham United at the end of the season, which further rubs salt in the wounds of many Reds.

Who is Arne Slot?

Arne Slot is currently the head coach of Feyenoord in the Eredivisie over in the Netherlands and played a significant role in ending Ajax’s period of dominance. At just 45-years-old, Slot is still in the early stages of his managerial career but has still enjoyed a reasonable amount of success.

His league title triumph with Feyenoord last season was huge and he has since followed that up by winning the Dutch Cup this season. His impressive success has put him on the radar of numerous European clubs, with the likes of Bayern Munich and Barcelona both following Liverpool in registering their interest in the Dutchman.

Tactical Fit

One major positive is that Slot is a very flexible and versatile coach, in terms of the way he sets his side up. The Feyenoord boss often rotates between 4-2-3-1 and the 4-3-3 formation that we have all known throughout Jurgen Klopp’s tenure at Anfield.

Both of these systems include heavy-pressing characteristics, too. As revealed by Ben Bocsak, Slot’s side averaged the most tackles in the opposition final third (93) and also the most shooting opportunities from defensive actions (17).

Slot is definitely more of a tactical fit than Amorim, that’s for sure. Some Liverpool supporters will feel comfort from that point, whereas those hoping for a huge change may be slightly disappointed.

European Experience

Slot also trumps a lot of the other candidates linked with the Liverpool job in terms of European experience. He guided Feyenoord to the final of the UEFA Europa Conference League in his first season, where they were narrowly beaten by Jose Mourinho’s Roma in the final.

Feyenoord then reached the Quarter-Final of the UEFA Europa League the following season, where they were knocked out by an Italian team (sounds familiar, doesn’t it?). Slot took another step up to the UEFA Champions League in the 2023-24 season, where his side finished third in the group stage, despite wins against Celtic and Lazio.

Support is the Key

Despite the obvious disappointment, Liverpool fans now need to get behind whoever ends up in the Anfield dugout next season, which I’m sure they will. Until Slot gives us a reason to not believe in him, then we have to back him all the way.

Perhaps this could even be the start of another beautiful at Anfield, who knows?