Romano claims Arne Slot Liverpool deal is done and signed
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has given a key update on the Arne Slot Liverpool deal, reporting that all the documents have been signed between the two clubs. The Feyenoord manager is set to take over at Anfield at the end of the season and embark on a difficult journey to succeed Jurgen Klopp at the Merseyside club.
Romano has reported that Premier League giants Liverpool and Dutch club Feyenoord have signed all the documents and the move is sealed. However, he claimed that it would take some time for an official statement to come on the matter. Romano, though, claimed that the official announcement is planned to take place this week.
Klopp, after a remarkable spell at the Anfield club, is set to step down at the end of the season. Liverpool had the likes of Xabi Alonso, Ruben Amorim, and more on their radar to replace the German. Alonso, however, announced that he will be staying at Bayer Leverkusen and Amorim has been linked with a move to West Ham.
The Merseysiders eventually managed to strike a deal with Feyenoord for Klopp. He recently led the Rotterdam-based side to the KNVB Cup glory and Feyenoord are also second in the Eredivisie. Slot’s footballing style has also been compared as akin to Klopp’s by many. Liverpool are set to pay Feyenoord a compensation fee of around 13 million euros to acquire Slot’s services.
Slot, however, doesn’t have the same level of experience and pedigree that Klopp had prior to joining Liverpool. Klopp was already a two-time Bundesliga champion with Borussia Dortmund and led the German club to the UEFA Champions League final once. Slot, meanwhile, has only won the KNVB Cup as a notable achievement. That said, he is highly touted in the managerial market and is one of the most highly-paid coaches in Dutch football.
Arne Slot Liverpool deal: Dutchman set to be the new head coach rather than the manager
Arne Slot is set to join Liverpool under the head coach designation, not as a traditional manager, as per The Times. While both roles are quite similar to each other, being a manager also comes with some off-field responsibilities. The ‘head coach’ tag will help Slot avoid some of these.
Slot has spent the majority of his career as a head coach and as a sporting director. Hence, it could be beneficial for the Dutchman to continue his career at Anfield under the same status. According to The Times, Liverpool believe that this structure will help Slot focus more on the team’s performance due to the increased demands of the modern game.
This shows that Liverpool are already making changes for the future after Jurgen Klopp’s departure as the Slot model is a shift from the structure they had with the German manager.