Feyenoord have rejected the opening offer from Liverpool for manager Arne Slot, with the Eredivisie club knocking back the £7.7 million the Reds have tabled.
The 45-year-old has no release clause in his current contract that runs until 2026 and has been identified as the preferred choice to succeed the outgoing Jurgen Klopp, but former Sky Sports presenter Richard Keys has warned the Anfield club against appointing the Dutchman given the struggles of his compatriots in the Premier League.
He believes Liverpool would be better off appointing Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou, revealing the Australian has a little buyout clause in his Spurs contract.
“I would go for Postecoglou,” Keys said on beIN Sports.
“The reason I said that, initially I thought it would take too much to get him out.
“Then I was told because he wasn’t first choice, his salary is not great, and the buyout is not very big. So that would be my preferred choice. I just didn’t think it would be possible because I couldn’t see (Daniel) Levy letting him go, but I’m told the figures do make sense.”
Is Arnie Slot the right man for Liverpool? @richardajkeys and Andy Gray compare the Feyenoord boss to Erik ten Hag and suggest a Premier League-ready replacement for the Reds! #beINPL #LFC pic.twitter.com/EO4gH5gZBE
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) April 24, 2024
The 58-year-old joined Spurs from Celtic last summer and has impressed with his style of football, with the North London club in battle with Aston Villa for fourth position in the Premier League table.
Replacing Klopp will be a big task for anyone, but Postecoglou has years of experience behind him having started his managerial career since 1996.
He won titles with South Melbourne, Brisbane Roar and Yokohama F. Marinos before joining Celtic in 2021, leaving the Scottish Premiership club with a double and a treble following his two campaigns in charge.
Liverpool will pose a bigger challenge, but his time at Tottenham shows he has something to offer, and taking a punt on him could make sense.
However, Slot looks like the candidate set to replace Klopp with negotiations ongoing between both teams, and fans trust the judgment of the board and Fenway Sports Group.
It will be interesting to see whether they will be able to reach an agreement with Feyenoord, but the Dutchman is keen on the job, which should make things easier for Liverpool in their bid to get a new manager as soon as possible.
