Arne Slot is the Dutchman Pep Guardiola who rejected Tottenham, shook Diego Simeone and will replace Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool
Arne Slot is a name Premier League fans should start learning as he prepares to take over as Liverpool manager next season.
The Dutchman has transformed Feyenoord into a sublime team since he was appointed coach in 2021 and looks set to replace Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool this summer.
The Reds had made the Dutchman their main target to replace Klopp, who departure at the end of the season.
talkSPORT understands the Reds have now agreed a deal with Feyenoord for Slot to arrive at Anfield, along with members of his staff.
The 45-year-old man has even got Klopp's early seal of approval sit on the bench at Anfield next year.
TOTTENHAM REJECTION
However, in another timeline, he would already be in England as Tottenham manager.
This is because before Spurs opted for Ange Postecoglou in 2023, they tried to bring Slot to north London.
Curiously, the Dutchman was relatively low on the target list after Vicente Kompany, Roberto De Zerbi and Julian Nagelsmann They were all discarded.
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But even though the Spurs were close to agreeing to a compensation package, Slot turned down the opportunity to accept the Spurs job.
And speaking of why he rejected Tottenham, the Feyenoord boss revealed that the key factor was the Champions League or lack thereof.
Speaking after the deal fell through, he said: “The decisive factor was playing in the Champions League.
“The fantastic work with the staff and players, the fact that I'm having a great time privately and being able to take advantage of the last two seasons.
“I didn't know what would happen (with Tottenham). I weighed everything, including whether the people who work with me would want to come with me.
“You can imagine it, but I don't think it's classy to say it! But my intention is to stay because that already generates expectations.”
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However, with Liverpool now almost sure To play with the European elite next season, the Champions League was not a problem for Slot.
ANOTHER PEP
Looking at his record, you can see why Liverpool are so impressed with the Dutchman.
Slot enjoyed a relatively quiet playing career, spending most of his time at FC Zwolle before retiring in 2013.
He immediately became a youth coach at Zwolle before joining SC Cambuur as assistant manager, where he remained until moving to AZ Alkmaar.
Slot was an assistant at the club for two years, but became the first team coach in the summer of 2019.
His Alkmaar team was prolific, scoring 118 goals in 58 games, while helping the club qualify for the Europa League.
He also boasted the highest win rate in the club's history, but was surprisingly sacked in 2020 due to Alkmaar's belief that he had lost focus at work amid his ties to Feyenoord.
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Of course, he ended up at Feyenoord less than a year later, and the rest is history.
They won the Eredivisie last season and won the KNVB Cup this year, giving Slot its first titles.
PLAYING STYLE
The 45-year-old has been compared to pep guardiola by Dutch football journalist Marcel van der Kraan, who said: “He is a very good coach and sometimes things can come very quickly.
“I have followed Feyenoord for 40 years. Since Johan Cruyff's days at Ajax in the 80s, there has not been such an attack-minded coach in the Dutch league. Cruyff only had a few disciples who followed him, and one of They were Pep Guardiola.
“I would say that Slot is a Guardiola-style coach based on everything I have seen in recent years. “Feyenoord fans cannot believe what they have seen during that time.”
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Of course, the key for Liverpool fans is the style of play, and Slot likes to entertain.
speaking to UEFA About his style of football, he said: “We are an offensive-minded team that likes to have a lot of ball and we play with a lot of intensity.
“When we don't have the ball, we want to get it back as quickly as possible by being aggressive and pressing to regain possession. “I think we are a difficult team to beat.”
In many ways, this is exactly how Klopp and Guardiola play, so the transition should be easy for Liverpool fans and players.
SIMEONE RATTLE
Slot and Atlético coach Diego Simeone found themselves in a shoving fight after a friendly in 2021.
It was a moment lost in translation when Simeone thought Slot was trying to wind him up after Feyenoord's 2-1 win.
“At that moment, at the end of the match, I turned to Simeone to tell him how passionate he was even in a friendly match,” he said ahead of the team's Champions League clash in 2023.
“Then he misinterpreted the smile I had at that moment and pushed me. This says a lot about him, how easily he gets irritated and frustrated. It doesn't matter who he's in front of, he's like that, I don't do it.” I don't think he has anything against me.”
RAPIDING
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Off the field, he is a big rap fan; At least his daughter is, whom he took to see Dutch rapper Jonna Fraser in Amsterdam.
He will be in good hands with team members such as John Aldridge, who performed the 1988 hit 'Anfield Rap', and is still making the rounds.
The Reds had other options to become their new coach, but the more you learn about Slot, it seems like a great fit.
To you, Aldo…
