Liverpool confirms Arne Slot will take over as head coach for Klopp on a three-year contract

Arne Slot has been named as Liverpool’s new head coach. The Dutchman has agreed to a three-year deal at Anfield.

After Jurgen Klopp said in January that manager would step down at the end of the season, Slot—who had stated on Friday that he would take over—was recognized as Liverpool’s first choice.

In April, Liverpool and Feyenoord reached a £7.7 million compensation agreement for the 45-year-old. Michael Edwards, the new football CEO of Fenway Sports Group, and Richard Hughes, the incoming sporting director, selected Feyenoord. They employed a statistically motivated methodology that included investigating Slot’s character as well as data analysis and performance evaluation.

Slot has earned the Rinus Michels Award for the best coach in the Netherlands for the last two seasons. In 2022, he led Feyenoord to the Europa Conference League final. In 2023, the team won only its second Eredivisie title of the twenty-first century.

Liverpool was drawn to his track record of overachievement, which included leading Feyenoord to their first European final in twenty-one years while leading AZ Alkmaar to a point tie at the top of the Dutch league when it was shortened in the 2019–20 season.

They have observed how he has had to operate on a tight budget and a self-sustaining plan in order to reconstruct Feyenoord following the sales of important players. They understand that some of their Premier League competitors can afford to spend more than they can, and they believe that Slot’s track record of player development and improvement is backed by both statistical proof and visual cues.

Liverpool feels that his offensive, possession-based, high-energy style of football will provide some continuity from the Klopp era, and that the current team should be suited for his preferred 4-2-3-1 shape and style of play. They are also sure that Slot is a skilled communicator because he speaks English fluently.

They also believe that his collegiate attitude and forward-thinking nature will allow him to function in the new Anfield structure, where he will collaborate with Pedro Marques and Julian Ward, who have accepted positions with Fenway Sports Group.

Prior to Liverpool’s proposal, Slot had remained faithful to Feyenoord despite receiving interest from the Premier League. He turned down offers to join Tottenham at the end of the previous season and Leeds in February 2023.