Arne Slot has emerged as one of the top contenders to replace Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager this summer – and it is easy to see why the club are interested.
After lots of talk about Xabi Alonso and Ruben Amorim, Feyenoord boss Slot has now jumped to the front of the queue. The managerial market is a busy one, with Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Liverpool all searching in the same pool of candidates and plenty could change between now and the summer.
But Slot appears to be a good fit for Liverpool due to his playing style and coaching philosophy, which echoes the Klopp playbook. “We are an attack-minded team that likes to have a lot of the ball, and we play with a lot of intensity,” he told UEFA of his style with Feyenoord. “When we don’t have the ball, we want to win it back as quickly as possible by being aggressive and pressing to win back possession. I think we are a team that is difficult to beat.”
Slot came close to taking over at Tottenham last May, but they could not agree a financial package with Feyenoord and ended up with Ange Postecoglou instead. The 45-year-old Dutchman doesn’t just fit theoretically, he has also won trophies, claiming the Eredivisie title last season and the Dutch Cup this term.
But what might his arrival upon Merseyside mean for the Liverpool team? Gazing into our crystal ball, Mirror Football has pondered that very question.
First thing’s first, Slot’s formation is clear: a 4-2-3-1 in possession, which can be flexible to accommodate attacking talent. He played it with AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord and wouldn’t need to change much at Liverpool, who play in a similar 4-3-3 formation under Klopp.
Liverpool’s backline has been disrupted by injuries this season, with Alisson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ibrahima Konate and Andy Robertson all spending time on the sidelines, but – if fully fit – they are likely to continue as the first-choices next season, alongside Virgil van Dijk.
It is further forward where changes could be made. To play a 4-2-3-1 formation, Slot would perhaps like to sign an attacking midfielder, because other than Dominik Szoboszlai, the Liverpool squad is lacking a player capable. That could give Slot the excuse for a reunion with Teun Koopmeiners, who Liverpool know all too well.
Koopmeiners has enjoyed an exceptional season with Atalanta and was part of the side which stunned the Reds with a 3-0 win at Anfield. The 26-year-old has 11 goals and four assists in Serie A so far this season and has played primarily as an attacking midfielder. Slot is a known fan, having coached him during the 2019/20 campaign at AZ Alkmaar.
Another player Slot is a huge fan of is Santiago Gimenez – the Feyenoord striker who has 24 goals and seven assists in 40 games this season. The 23-year-old has already been talked up as a potential transfer target across Europe this summer and could follow his current boss to Anfield. Darwin Nunez has enjoyed a fruitful season, but his erratic finishing and Diogo Jota’s injury problems means a new striker could be beneficial this summer.
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That brings us to the elephant in the room: Mohamed Salah. The Liverpool icon is under contract until June 2025, but the lure of Saudi Arabian riches has not gone away and is sure to rear its head again in the summer transfer window.
Liverpool are sure to want to keep Salah, who is showing few signs of slowing down at 31, but they are not in a particularly strong position. They will either need to sell for the highest fee, secure him to a fresh contract, or risk losing him for nothing next summer. So, how about replacements?
Both West Ham's Jarrod Bowen and Wolves ' Pedro Neto have frequently been linked with Liverpool – and both remain targets. With Michael Edwards back on board with Fenway Sports Group and Richard Hughes coming in as the new sporting director, the Reds won’t be short of scouting expertise – but both of these players are known quantities. Neto has struggled with injuries this season and Bowen has shown a real eye for goal in 2023/24, netting 19 times in all competitions, so he gets the nod.
Liverpool’s possible XI under Arne Slot (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Alexander-Arnold, Van Dijk, Konate, Robertson; Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Koopmeiners; Bowen, Diaz, Gimenez
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