Liverpool are understood to have opened negotiations for Feyenoord manager Arne Slot but the Reds have also been told to consider Lille boss Paulo Fonseca

Liverpool are understood to have opened negotiations for Feyenoord manager Arne Slot but the Reds have also been told to consider Lille boss Paulo Fonseca

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Feyenoord boss Arnse Slot was previously linked with a move to two Premier League clubs but Liverpool's approach may have come at just the right time.

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Feyenoord boss Arnse Slot was previously linked with a move to two Premier League clubs but Liverpool's approach may have come at just the right time.

Live updates from Goodison Park as Everton and Liverpool clash in the Merseyside derby

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The design is inspired by the patterns of vintage football kits from Liverpool FC and Everton FC

The design is inspired by the patterns of vintage football kits from Liverpool FC and Everton FC

Liverpool are understood to have opened negotiations over Feyenoord manager Arne Slot and a European football expert has given his verdict on how Slot would fit in at Anfield

Liverpool are understood to have opened negotiations over Feyenoord manager Arne Slot and a European football expert has given his verdict on how Slot would fit in at Anfield

With Liverpool looking to appoint Feyenoord boss Arne Slot as the new Liverpool manager, plenty of fans have been asking how you pronounce the Dutchman’s name?

Slot is from eastern Holland and has spent his whole career in the Netherlands so far. With Liverpool approaching the 45-year-old to take over, many are wanting to pronounce his name properly.

In his native Dutch, Arne Slot is pronounced ‘Arn-uh Slot’.

Think about how you would say ex-Liverpool an Norway international John Arne Riise’s name. Arne is pronounced in the same way.

Though Slot is generally just said in the same way in English and Dutch, there are regional variations that you might hear that vary the sound.

Slot’s career

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PA Media outlined how he has reached the top of Dutch football…

Former midfielder Slot, 45, spent his playing career in the Netherlands with Zwolle, Sparta Rotterdam and Breda.

After moving into coaching roles at Cambuur and then AZ Alkmaar, Slot stepped up into the manager’s job with the latter for the 2019–20 season, which was interrupted by the Covid pandemic. AZ finished second behind Ajax on goal difference in the shortened campaign.

Slot left for Feyenoord in December 2020, succeeding Dick Advocaat, and brought former Arsenal and Manchester United forward Robin van Persie onto his staff.

In May 2022, Feyenoord reached the first Europa Conference League final, losing to Roma, and finished third in the Eredivisie.

Slot’s second season at De Kuip saw Feyenoord win the Eredivisie title – the first for the club since 2017. Earlier this month, Feyenoord beat NEC Nijmegen to lift the 2024 KNVB Cup.

Slot in Europe

No matter who eventually takes over as Liverpool’s new manager, they will be expected to be able to deliver more memorable European nights at Anfield.

Slot would bring plenty of that experience with him. While at AZ, Slot took his side into the Europa League – where they played Manchester United in 2019. After moving to Feyenoord, Slot guided the club to the Europa Conference League final in May 2022.

Eredivisie success brought with it a crack at the Champions League for 2023–24. Despite beating Celtic and Lazio in their group, the Dutch side did not qualify for the knockout stage and then lost out to Roma in the Europa League play-off round.

Attacking style of play

Slot has grown into an attack-minded coach, also with an eye on bringing through talent – plenty of which would await in Liverpool’s youth ranks.

Feyenoord – who sit second behind Eredivisie rivals PSV Eindhoven this season – also press high, winning plenty of tackles in the opposition’s final third, and are comfortable in different formations, whether that is with one up top or a fluid 4-3-3.

Slot was linked with a switch to Tottenham last summer, but the Liverpool job is expected to prove too good an opportunity for the ambitious Dutch coach to pass up.

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With Arne Slot now favourite to replace Jurgen Klopp as the new Liverpool FC manager, we looked at the four key criteria used by the Reds to find the next boss.

Arne Slot has become the latest figure to be linked to the Liverpool job, with widespread reports that Liverpool have opened talks with his current club, Feyenoord, to agree a compensation fee.

Slot, 45, along with the others touted for the role, all have certain skills in common.

Pieter Zwart, who is editor-in-chief at Dutch football magazine Voetbal International, wrote about Liverpool looking for four characteristics in particular, and we looked at how Slot fits in to those.

1. Able to work on a budget and develop players

As Liverpool continue to compete against state-funded clubs like Man City and Newcastle, being able to elevate a team through good coaching is a vital skill the new manager must have.

During his time at Feyenoord, he has actually had a positive net spend, with the club often utilising loans, meaning Slot has to work with a large turnover of players.

Against PSV and Ajax who have bigger budgets, he won last season’s Eredivisie title and recently won this year’s Dutch Cup.

As AZ Alkmaar manager, on an even smaller budget, he had a potential league title taken away when the 2019/20 season was curtailed due to coronavirus while his team were joint-top with Ajax.

In the title-winning Feyenoord squad, key defender David Hancko was signed for just €8.3 million, midfielder Mats Wieffer for €575,000, and striker Santiago Gimenez cost just €6 million.

2. Playing style

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Slot tends to play a 4-2-3-1 but doesn’t stick to the formation religiously.

His style was described to the i as “high-energy attacking football in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 with two deep-lying midfielders and a reliance on wingers to create chances.”

As per the Coaches Voice, Slot doesn’t “overcommit to the high press,” with his teams “comfortable dropping into a more reserved block” if the opportunity to win the ball back is not there.

This varies slightly from Klopp who rarely sees his team sit deep to soak up pressure.

In 2022, Slot told UEFA: “When we don’t have the ball, we want to win it back as quickly as possible by being aggressive and pressing to win back possession. I think we are a team that is difficult to beat.”

Sounds familiar!

3. Using the current squad

Something that may have edged Liverpool in the direction of Slot over Ruben Amorim, is the fact that the Portuguese manager would potentially have to act more in the transfer market to ensure the squad suits his three-at-the-back system.

While Xabi Alonso and Amorim have similar attacking principles to Klopp, Slot sticking with a definite four in defence allows for a smoother transition.

Like Klopp, Slot also likes to use an inverted right-back and a wider left back, which would suit Andy Robertson and Trent Alexander-Arnold well.

4. Character and personality

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Liverpool managers need to be good communicators and have a strong relationship with supporters. Also, modern football often requires managers to be sympathetic towards their players, a trait Slot shares with Klopp.

“He can be angry with his players, of course,” Dennis van Eersel, of Dutch national TV channel RTV, explained. “But he also puts his arm around them. They like him because he’s built a harmony at the club.”

The Dutchman, unsurprisingly, already has a good grasp of English and appears to be charismatic, open and at times humorous to the media and supporters.

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