Arne Slot confirmed as new Liverpool manager as Jurgen Klopp era ends

Liverpool have confirmed the appointment of Feyenoord boss Arne Slot as Jurgen Klopp’s replacement.

Slot had previously told the press that he would be taking up the position at Anfield, but the Premier League side did not announce the decision until Monday, May 20; the day after Klopp’s farewell game on Sunday against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Slot will start work as Liverpool head coach on June 1, subject to a work permit, having signed a three-year contract.

"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," Slot told Feyenoord's official website. "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 announced in January that he would be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season after growing fatigued with the demands of one of the biggest clubs in European football.

The club’s owners had been linked with a number of potential candidates, including Bayer Leverkusen manager and former Liverpool midfielder, Xabi Alonso, but he elected to remain with the Bundesliga champions.

Klopp joined Liverpool in October 2015 and won the League Cup twice, the FA Cup, Champions League and Premier League once in his time at the club.

Slot emerged as the frontrunner for the vacancy in recent weeks and Liverpool reportedly agreed a fee of £9.4 million for the 45-year-old.

He had guided Feyenoord to last season’s Eredivisie title, and this season won the KNVB Cup, after being appointed manager in July 2021.

Feyenoord general manager Dennis te Kloese said: "At Feyenoord you don't like to let go of a trainer who has meant as much to the club as Arne.

"At the same time, we understand very well that working at a club like Liverpool is a special and unique opportunity for him. With that in mind, we started the conversation to see if we could find a solution together, and in the end we succeeded."

With Joel Matip and Thiago Alcantara’s departures confirmed, there is also speculation that Slot will need to resolve the future of Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah, who have both been linked with big-money transfers this summer.

TNT Sports presents the premium live sports rights previously carried by BT Sport including the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, Gallagher Premiership Rugby, Investec Champions Cup, EPCR Challenge Cup, MotoGP, Cricket, UFC, Boxing and WWE. The streaming home for TNT Sports in the UK is discovery+, where fans can enjoy a subscription that includes TNT Sports, Eurosport and entertainment in one destination. You can also watch TNT Sports through BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media.