Jurgen Klopp brought plenty of thrills to Liverpool as well as silverware but now the Merseysiders will be hoping they’ve hit the jackpot with Arne Slot.
Klopp’s red machine will become the Slot machine should they agree a compensation package with Feyenoord.
The German arrived in 2015 and brought his gegenpressing style of play to the red half of Merseyside and the Anfield crowd loved it. Liverpool didn’t win every season but the home fans who made the trip to the fabled ground were rarely bored.
Now it will be up to Slot to build on Klopp’s success of a Premier League title, a Champions League crown, an FA Cup and two Carabao Cups. But it will also be to ensure the supporters are entertained.
That’s believed to be one of the reasons Michael Edwards and soon-to-be sporting director Richard Hughes have pushed the button on Slot.
The 45-year-old Dutchman is known for bringing energetic, attacking football and is flexible in formations with 4-2-3-1 a favourite but 4-3-3 another option. He started out as a manager at AZ Alkmaar and those there suggest it took him a while to develop his style but once he found his way, it was exciting football.
Slot, who is openly an admirer of Pep Guardiola, favours aggression but also considers possession important too and potentially will look to control the game more with the ball than just press.
But at Feyenoord he’s brought entertainment and trophies with an Eredivisie title and a Dutch Cup.
Arsenal midfielder Reiss Nelson, who spent a season on loan with him in 2021-22, called him a ‘great manager’ who had a personal touch helping a young player away from home.
Feyenoord players can’t speak highly enough of him. They were delighted he turned down Tottenham last season and are understood to be gutted he now looks set to leave.
The reason Liverpool have opted for him is his age profile, character and style. He’s similar to the others linked with the job in Xabi Alonso and Ruben Amorim. Youthfulness with just enough experience is key. They believe he ticks as many boxes as they feel any manager can that is within their reach.
But whoever they replace Klopp with will be a gamble so what better way to do that than at the Slot machine.
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