Liverpool have officially announced Feyenoord manager Arne Slot as Jurgen Klopp’s replacement, he will formally take the position on June 1.
The 45-year-old joins the Reds after three award-filled years in the Netherlands, he led the Pride of Rotterdam to the Eredivisie title in 2023, won the Manager of the Year award in 2022 and 2023, and helped his club win the KNVB Cup in April.
Slot has a growing reputation in world football that both Liverpool and the Dutch manager will hope he can build on. Last Word on Football looks at his career so far and how he will fare in Merseyside.
Liverpool Announce Arne Slot as New Manager
Overachiever Slot Hopes to Continue Klopp’s Legacy
Slot has never managed a team as big as Liverpool before but his overachievement at AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord means he will be arriving at Anfield with high expectations. In his first season at De Kaasboeren, the 45-year-old’s side finished 2nd behind Ajax on goal difference, the season was cancelled due to the pandemic and no champion was crowned.
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The Dutch manager proved he was ready for a step up, averaging 2.11 Eredivisie points per game at Alkmaar, a club record. This led to Feyenoord appointing him as their manager for the 2021/22 season. Slot continued to impress by taking the Pride of Rotterdam to the inaugural Europa Conference League Final in his first season.
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In his second season, the 45-year-old helped Feyenoord win the Eredivisie for the first time since 2017. The Dutch coach is considered one of Feyenoord’s most successful managers and will be looking to continue his momentum in his new role as Liverpool manager.
Developing Young Talent a Priority
Slot has built a reputation for developing young talent, the average age of Feyenoord’s Dutch Cup-winning starting lineup was just 24.6 years old. In contrast, the average age of Liverpool’s squad for Klopp’s final game was 27.6.
The 45-year-old’s arrival may be good news for the likes of Ryan Gravenberch and Harvey Elliott as they may be given more chances to start than they got in Klopp’s last season. The young midfield pair started just 23 games combined as the German chose experience over youth.
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In terms of tactics and formation, Slot uses a 4-3-3 or a 4-2-3-1 shape. The latter formation may allow Dominik Szobazlai or the returning Fabio Carvalho to play in their favoured attacking midfield role. Lutsharel Geertruida plays a similar inverted right-back role to Trent Alexander-Arnold.
The Dutchman likes to use build-up play similar to what we saw in Roberto De Zerbi’s Brighton & Hove Albion team. This consists of the two centre-backs playing the ball forward while the team lines up in a 2-4-4 shape. Virgil van Dijk and Jarell Quansah are the perfect pairing for this style with their progressive passing.
Overall, Slot’s vertical, attacking style should suit the players already in Liverpool’s squad. However, if the Dutchman wants to bring some familiar faces with him to Anfield, he should target midfielder Quinten Timber and striker Santiago Gimenez.
