Arne Slot appointed Liverpool head coach following Klopp departure

Liverpool have confirmed the appointment of Arne Slot as the new head coach following the departure of Jurgen Klopp after the Wolverhampton Wanderers game.

He will take charge of the club on June 1, subject to a work permit. He will sign a three-year deal.

Slot joins Liverpool from Feyenoord, where he gained prominence after leading the Eredivisie giants to the league title in the 2022/23 season and the KNVB Cup this term.

The 45-year-old also led Feyenoord to the final of the Europa Conference League final in its inaugural season and the quarter-final of the Europa League.

The Dutchman emerged as one of the most promising young managers at AZ Alkmaar, first as an assistant before taking over permanently and leading them to challenge Ajax for the title in the 2019/20 season. 

He finished his tenure at AZ with 2.11 points per game, the best record of any manager in the club’s history. 

Slot was eager for the Liverpool job and now has the task of setting up the team to challenge league juggernauts Manchester City, who recently claimed their fourth league title on the spin. 

City have dominated the English top flight, winning six of the last seven PL titles, but Slot is expected to challenge the status quo as he takes his place in the Anfield dugout. 

Slot has massive boots to fill. He takes over from Klopp, whose larger than life presence surpassed that of an ordinary manager, but the Dutchman will want to prove his mettle in England.

He will be keen on a fight with his mentor, Pep Guardiola, after saying goodbye to Feyenoord with a comprehensive 4-0 victory of Excelsior.

Slot played as a central midfielder during his career, featuring for FC Zwolle, NAC Breda, Sparta Rotterdam and PEC Zwolle before hanging up his boots in 2013.

He will now become the first Dutch head coach of Liverpool. His first pre-season in charge of the squad will start in July.