Liverpool have seen an opening bid for Arne Slot rejected after making the Feyenoord head coach their preferred choice to succeed Jurgen Klopp.
The Anfield club’s pursuit of Slot only emerged earlier this week as they prioritized discretion and a desire to show respect to Feyenoord ahead of Sunday’s Dutch Cup final , which they won.
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This approach will certainly be maintained as Liverpool begin negotiations with the 2023 Eredivisie champions and their highly regarded CEO Dennis te Kloese, with the club rebuffing an opening bid of €9m (£7.7m, $9.6 million).
Liverpool are also in contact with Slot, who is excited about the possibility of a move to Merseyside.
The club is conducting an extensive process and will continue to evaluate other candidates, although Slot is currently the center of attention after emerging as the leading suitor.
Klopp announced in January that he would leave the club at the end of the season after nine years.
Slot helped Feyenoord win a second Eredivisie title in 20 years last season and currently sit second in the table.
Liverpool began the head coach search in November with Fenway Sports Group football CEO Michael Edwards and new sporting director Richard Hughes now leading the process.
Slot’s attacking style of play and track record of developing young talent fit the criteria set out by the club, with Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso and Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim among those also considered.
Slot, who turned down Tottenham Hotspur last year, has no release clause in his current contract which runs until 2026.
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Arne Slot: champion with Feyenoord and now one of the main contenders for Liverpool
(Maurice Van Steen/ANP/AFP via Getty Images)