‘We talked’: Arne Slot admits that he would have ‘loved’ to join Premier League rivals before joining Liverpool
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Arne Slot has been a revelation ever since he arrived at Liverpool but things were almost very different.
When Jurgen Klopp departed, it would be safe to assume that many Reds fans were seriously worried about where the club would go next, with it almost impossible to replace what the German had done.
Slot was the man they went for and despite an impressive time at Feyenoord, it was not the most glamorous signing in the world, with most believing that a lengthy transition period might follow.
The Dutchman hit the ground running and was an instant hit at Anfield, leading Liverpool to their 20th league title at his first attempt.
Now, he is widely regarded as one of the best coaches in the Premier League and expectations are higher than ever, although he certainly has the backing of all the supporters.
They will feel very lucky to have him in charge, but things almost panned out very differently, with Slot revealing that he came very close to joining Tottenham instead.
Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images
Of course, there is nothing wrong with plenty of other teams wanting the same manager and, if anything, it is a good sign as he clearly plays a style of football that is effective.
And, before he agreed to join the Reds, Tottenham were keen to bring him to the club in 2023 after sacking Antonio Conte, although they eventually opted for Ange Postecoglou instead.
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This is perhaps because Slot turned them down, however he admitted in his new biography “Arne Slot: The New Era,” that he was keen to make the move, but he was talked out of it.
“The fact I didn’t go to Spurs was 99 percent a family decision,” as reported by the Independent.
“We talked a lot and I told my kids it would be great to come and visit me in London during the school holidays, though my daughter said she might want to go do things with her friends sometimes.
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“I’d have loved to have gone to Spurs, because who goes straight from Feyenoord to Tottenham, but when Liverpool approached me last season it was very different.”
Spurs would have seen this as a missed opportunity but Liverpool will feel they got incredibly lucky, and Slot might even feel the same now based on how things have gone.
A key factor in Slot joining Liverpool will also have been the elite players he would have been able to coach, with Mohamed Salah the pick of the bunch.
The Egyptian was already one of the best, if not the best, player in the Premier League before the Dutchman arrived, but after he scored 29 goals and assisted 18 under his new boss, it was clear he had gone to another level.
A key reason for this was because Slot made it his mission to improve him further and increase his output, something that started by showering him in compliments.
“Of course I’m not stupid.
It’s not like I held a meeting and told him and everyone else on the team they had to defend more,” Slot said as per the Independent.
“I started by complimenting Mo about 50 times and then I played him some videos showing which areas he could do better in.
He agreed with this straight away.”
It clearly had its desired effect as Salah’s goal threat is second to none, and Slot will be hoping that this season will be the exact same.