Following the mid-season departure of Aaron Briggs, Liverpool may make an addition to its coaching department this summer, with Reijnen am obvious candidate given his background
14:44, 01 May 2026
Etienne Reijnen
Etienne Reijnen is reportedly set to join Liverpool this summer
Etienne Reijnen is a name Liverpool fans could soon become very familiar with.
The 39-year-old may be the next addition to Arne Slot ’s backroom coaching group, after the Liverpool head coach implied he could be on the lookout for fresh faces ahead of the 2026/27 season.
The Reds are one coach down from the group that started the campaign following the departure of Aaron Briggs in December. Briggs had taken charge of the team’s set-pieces but left due to the team’s disastrous on-field record in that area. Briggs was not replaced, and reports in the Netherlands have claimed Reijnen may be in line to fill that void
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The pair worked together at Feyenoord, where Reijnen is still employed under manager Robin van Persie.
Originally, the plan had been for Reijnen to follow Slot to Liverpool, along with assistant Sipke Hulshoff. However, given he lacked the relevant coaching qualifications, was unable to secure a Visa.
1908.nl reports that the Feyenoord analyst and advisor is working to obtain his UEFA A license, which would then allow him to join Liverpool. That may also see current assistant Giovanni van Bronckhorst leave the Reds.
Reijnen was part of Slot's coaching group at Feyenoord
Reijnen was part of Slot's coaching group at Feyenoord
Reijnen briefly played with Slot at PEC Zwolle for two seasons and was appointed by the now Liverpool boss during his time at Feyenoord.
“I thought about it carefully. Ultimately, I considered it an important criterion that if you bring someone in the middle of the season, you already know that person well,” Slot said at the time. “You don't want to have to get to know someone completely in the middle of the season.”
At this stage, Liverpool is not thought to be actively searching for an addition to Slot’s coaching staff, but Reijnen would be an obvious choice should the Reds recruit this summer.
Robin van Persie and Etienne Reijnen
Reijnen is currently working under Van Persie
Asked on Friday about his current staff roster, Slot said: “I think we all know we lot a member of staff during the season.
“We parted ways so it makes complete sense at this club, if someone is leaving a department, that you are looking at a replacement.
“In general for a club, it makes sense not only to look at player-wise but also staff-wise. We are always keeping our eyes open to improve the club and that means it could be a player but also a staff. We always look around to see how we can strengthen.”
Reijnen played for Zwolle, AZ Alkmaar, Cambuur, Groningen and Maccabi Haifa during his career, before retiring in 2018.
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He then took up a scouting role at Zwolle, before transitioning to a coaching position. Reijnen worked as Technical Director at Cambuur for a few months before Slot convinced him to move to Rotterdam.