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New boss Slot captivated by Liverpool’s charm


By AFP
Published : 21 May 2024 09:39 PM

Arne Slot said the chance to work at one of the world's biggest clubs was "difficult to ignore" after Liverpool confirmed on Monday that the Feyenoord coach would be their new manager.

Just 24 hours after Jurgen Klopp's emotional farewell at Anfield, the Premier League club said in a statement that the Dutchman would take up the position of head coach on June 1, subject to a work permit.

The club did not specify the length of Slot's contract but it was widely reported in the British press that he had signed a three-year deal.

The new manager's arrival was an open secret, with Liverpool reportedly agreeing a compensation deal worth up to £9.4 million ($12 million) with Feyenoord.

Slot, 45, confirmed Anfield was his next destination at his final pre-match press conference at the Eredivisie club on Friday.

"It is certainly not an easy decision to close the door behind you at a club where you have experienced so many wonderful moments and worked successfully with so many wonderful people," he told Feyenoord's website on Monday.

"But as a sportsman, an opportunity to become a head coach in the Premier League, at one of the biggest clubs in the world, is difficult to ignore."

Klopp, 56, announced in January that the 2023/24 season would be his last at Anfield, and took charge of his final game on Sunday, a 2-0 win against Wolves.

In his farewell speech to the crowd, the German urged fans to throw their full support behind his successor, leading them in a chant of "Arne Slot, na na na na na".

"You welcome the new manager like you welcomed me," he said. "You go all-in from the first day. And you keep believing and you push the team."