Why Liverpool Chose Arne Slot to Replace Jurgen Klopp

Arne Slot is set to become the next Liverpool manager after the Premier League side agreed a compensation package with Feyenoord to secure the services of the Dutch boss. He will take on the difficult task of replacing Jurgen Klopp in the Anfield hot seat ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.

Per The Athletic, the compensation involved in the deal is between £11.1 million and £12.8 million, while the Reds claim the figure is closer to the £9.4 million mark. This makes Slot the most expensive boss to move from the Netherlands to the English top flight, becoming only the 10th Dutch manager to take charge of a Premier League side.

After news broke that the Merseyside-based outfit were keen on appointing him as Klopp’s successor, he was quick to express his desire to join the club. Speaking before his side took on Go AHead Eagles, Slot stated:

So, while the manager was keen to make the deal happen, there was some surprise that the Reds were also desperate to bring in someone who is to a large extent, an unknown quantity at the elite level. Other candidates missed out as Liverpool closed in on the appointment of Slot, and we’ve taken a look at why he was the preferred candidate to guide the club into their new era.

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What Made Slot Standout in Liverpool’s Search

He has been given Klopp’s seal of approval

While Klopp has stated he hasn’t been involved in the process of finding his replacement – as Sir Alex Ferguson famously was before his Manchester United departure in 2013 – the German commented on Slot’s pending arrival. He spoke highly of the next man to take on the role during his pre-match press conference before Liverpool’s trip to West Ham:

One of the biggest reasons behind Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes targeting the 45-year-old boss was his playing style being suitable for the current playing staff as he usually employs a 4-2-3-1 formation. His tactical approach involves high-intensity, attacking football, which is similar to the way Klopp has set up the team for many years now.

Reds’ fans will be delighted to hear there shouldn’t be a dramatic switch in the way they approach games as this would require a huge amount of time for the players to adapt after working under the same manager for such a long time. During the process of finding a new boss, Edwards and Hughes are said to have identified the Dutchman as the ‘superior communicator and connector’ in comparison to other options.

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Why Ruben Amorim Missed Out on Liverpool Job

The Sporting CP boss looked to be the favourite

In the immediate aftermath of Klopp’s announcement that he would be departing at the end of the 2023/24 season, former Reds midfielder Xabi Alonso emerged as the overwhelming favourite for the upcoming vacancy. However, the Spaniard opted to remain with Bayer Leverkusen – whom he lifted the Bundesliga title with – despite interest in his services from several European giants.

Once Alonso was ruled out of the running, another top candidate emerged in the form of Sporting CP boss Ruben Amorim. The Portuguese manager is on course to win his second top-flight title in his homeland at just 39 years old. While he’s a highly regarded young coach, Liverpool decided against making him their main target.

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It surprised many fans of the club when it emerged Amorim was unlikely to be the next permanent boss at Anfield, but it has now become clear why that decision was made. Journalist Melissa Reddy reported (per Teamtalk):

So, unlike Slot, the ex-Benfica player was unsuitable for the players at the club currently. His backline usually consists of three central defenders, which could put a lot of strain on the injury-prone Ibrahima Konate. He also typically uses two central midfielders, which would render many of Dominik Szoboszlai, Curtis Jones, Wataru Endo, Ryan Gravenberch, Stefan Bajcetic and Alexis Mac Allister as surplus to requirements.

Stylistically, the Sporting CP boss wasn’t the right fit, as well as falling short compared to Slot on the human side of things. There were also reports that Amorim’s agent used interest from West Ham to ramp up Liverpool’s apparent interest, to no avail.

All statistics are courtesy of Transfermarkt (Correct as of 27/04/2024)