Liverpool have confirmed Feyenoord boss Arne Slot will succeed legendary outgoing manager Jurgen Klopp and take over as head coach from the start of next season on a deal believed to run until 2027.
Mail Sport reported last week how the 45-year-old Dutchman had emerged as Liverpool’s favoured candidate to replace Klopp after a thorough, data-led search. The two clubs reached a verbal agreement three weeks ago.
Liverpool will pay around £7.7million as a base figure for Slot, which could rise to £9.4m with bonuses, and the Dutchman will bring at least three of his trusted lieutenants with him to Anfield as the Reds’ coaching team will be completely overhauled in the summer.
Klopp’s right-hand men Peter Krawietz and Pep Lijnders have also departed the club, with the latter becoming manager of Red Bull Salzburg. Elite development coach Vitor Matos will follow Lijnders to Austria, with several other backroom staffers departing.
Slot, who won the Dutch Cup last month and the Eredivisie title last season, is bringing his trusted lieutenant Sipke Hulshoff to Anfield – he has stepped down from his part-time duties alongside Ronald Koeman at the Netherlands, which he juggled with Feyenoord coaching.
Head of performance Ruben Peeters and analyst Etienne Reijnen are also among the staff Slot will bring to Merseyside, as first revealed by Mail Sport.
The Reds' confirmed the news on their club website on Monday afternoon, writing: '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.
'The 45-year-old will join the Reds from Feyenoord ahead of the 2024-25 season after a deal was reached with the Eredivisie club for his services.
'Slot will replace Jurgen Klopp at the helm following his decision to step down from the post at the end of the current campaign.'
Klopp told Mike Gordon, who ran football operations at owners Fenway Sports Group, of his desire to step down in late November. Liverpool then commenced a thorough, data-led process to find an appropriate replacement, even though Klopp’s exit was not public until January.
The club have had a mass overhaul since then with Michael Edwards returning to the club as CEO of Football at FSG and Bournemouth transfer chief Richard Hughes joining as sporting director. Julian Ward also returned to the club alongside Benfica’s Pedro Marques.
Liverpool’s director of research Will Spearman was influential in a recruitment process which included sophisticated data analysis, character research, market assessment and various other indicators.
Xabi Alonso emerged as the obvious front-runner upon Klopp’s exit announcement – though Liverpool never received any encouragement that the former midfielder would be willing to join Bayer Leverkusen. Ruben Amorim was considered but Slot was favoured.
