In the weeks leading up to this announcement, speculation had been rife about the possibility of HLV Arne Slot stepping into the shoes of Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool from the following season onwards. The Dutch coach had reportedly agreed to the terms set forth by Liverpool, but there was still the matter of convincing Feyenoord to release him from his contract.
After days of silence, Arne Slot himself confirmed his move to Liverpool during a press conference ahead of Feyenoord’s match against Excelsior in the final round of the Dutch Eredivisie (7:30 PM, May 19). “I can confirm to you all that I will be joining Liverpool next season.
In fact, I believe everyone was already aware of this information. It has helped me, Feyenoord, and those working alongside me to prepare adequately. I think departing at this time is appropriate. If I were to leave midway through the season, there would be unexpected issues arising. For example, some might argue that the club’s plans had veered off course…
Previously, everyone knew that my assistant, Marino Pusic, had moved to Shakhtar Donetsk back in October last year. In reality, we had known about it for a long time. My case is similar, so no one was caught off guard. A farewell at this point will be more meaningful to everyone, even though it’s something everyone knew beforehand.”
Following Arne Slot’s statement, Feyenoord quickly released a short video bidding farewell to the Dutch coach with a message: “The era of Arne Slot has come to an end. Let’s enjoy these final moments together.”
Arne Slot was born in 1978. He had a career as a professional footballer but only played in the Netherlands for smaller clubs such as FC Zwolle, NAC Breda, Sparta Rotterdam, and PEC Zwolle. Slot began his coaching career in 2013 but only found real success after joining Feyenoord in 2020.
Under Arne Slot’s tenure, Feyenoord finished as runners-up in the Europa Conference League 2021/22, won the Eredivisie championship in the 2022/23 season, and clinched the Dutch Cup in the 2023/24 season. The Dutch coach favored a 4-2-3-1 formation with two defensive midfielders in front of the center-backs and two wing-backs pushing forward. This style aligned well with what Jurgen Klopp was implementing at Liverpool.
This season, Feyenoord only finished as runners-up in the Dutch Eredivisie, trailing behind the champions PSV.
