24 hours after Jürgen Klopp bade farewell, Liverpool confirm Arne Slot as head coach

Twenty-four hours after Jürgen Klopp bade farewell to Anfield, Arne Slot, the former Feyenoord coach, has been confirmed as the new head coach.

The Informant247 learned that an agreement has been in place with Slot for over three weeks but wanted to delay the announcement until after Klopp’s departure. Slot has been announced as the head coach, not the manager, and has signed a three-year contract and will officially start on 1 June, subject to a work permit.

The 45-year-old had two years remaining on his deal with Feyenoord, who will receive €9m (£7.7m) plus €2m in add-ons in compensation.

Slot, who won the Dutch league and cup in his three seasons with Feyenoord, was identified as Liverpool’s preferred candidate in a search led by the new sporting director, Richard Hughes, and Michael Edwards, the new football chief executive at Fenway Sports Group.

Klopp’s decision to announce his departure in January, having informed Liverpool’s owners of his intentions in November, afforded the club time to conduct a thorough search for his successor.

Slot’s achievements with AZ and Feyenoord, reputation for innovation, communication skills and overperforming on a relatively modest budget caught the eye of Liverpool’s recruitment team.

Slot also has a track record of improving players. He is understood to be keen to work with Darwin Núñez despite recent doubts over the Uruguay international’s future.

Slot led Feyenoord to victory in the KNVB Cup in April after winning the Eredivisie the previous season.

This season, they finished second, behind the champions, PSV Eindhoven. Slot also reached the 2022 Europa Conference League final in his first season after replacing Dick Advocaat, where they lost 1-0 to Roma.

Slot told Feyenoord’s club website: “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.

“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.”