Feyenoord technical director Dennis te Kloese has responded to Arne Slot being linked with the Liverpool role. The 45-year-old is the latest name to be touted as Jürgen Klopp's successor after Rúben Amorim entered negotiations with West Ham United.
The Feyenoord boss, who led the team to the Eredivisie title in 2022/23, was heavily linked with a move to the Premier League after Antonio Conte departed as Tottenham Hotspur boss. Despite the links, Slot would remain in charge of the Dutch side and Spurs eventually went on to appoint Ange Postecoglou to the role.
Meanwhile, Feyenoord is enjoying another impressive campaign but will ultimately fall short of securing back-to-back titles, with a nine-point gap currently separating last season's champions and PSV Eindhoven in first place. It is not a season without silverware, though, after the team secured the KNVB Cup with a 2-0 win over NEC earlier this month.
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Odds have since been slashed by bookmakers for him to take charge at Anfield, after news about Amorim's talks with West Ham emerged and Bayer Leverkusen's Xabi Alonso decided against the role. The former AZ Alkmaar boss has been open about his ambitions to one day manage in the Premier League, after speaking about his future back in 2023. "My next step will not be a club in Holland," he said.
"If that is my next step, then I've failed completely. The normal next step will be to go abroad and I've always said the best league in the world is the Premier League."
However, Te Kloese is adamant that Slot will continue to manage the team through the 2024/25 season, despite the links to Liverpool. "I think it is logical that he is in such a good position," said Te Kloese via vi.nl. 'It is very special how he has manifested himself in recent years and has really given Feyenoord a face.
"We responded by extending his contract. In any case, we assume that he will also be our trainer next year. We have experienced this situation before and will take good care of our own interests.”
Liverpool.com says: Slot has impressed since taking charge of Feyenoord and it comes as no surprise that he is regularly linked with a move to the Premier League. FSG's new CEO of football Michael Edwards is expected to be brave when appointing a Klopp replacement — and Slot would certainly fit that profile.
From the director's comments, it seems Liverpool would once again be facing a situation where it's not clear if the managerial candidate will leave his existing club at all. But Slot's previous comments about the Premier League suggest he might well be ready for a move, should the Reds decide to pursue it.
