Arne Slot “firmly believed” Liverpool would back him as head coach this summer, according to Dutch sources, but he would be “very much up for” a surprise job.
Slot was sacked six days after the final game of the season – and only 17 days after he told reporters: “I have every reason to believe I’m the Liverpool manager next season.”
At the beginning of May, the Dutchman insisted that “if we can have the summer that we are planning to have, then I’m 100 percent convinced that we will be a different team next season than we are now.”
Liverpool will be a “different team” next season, but now largely due to a change in the dugout which sees Andoni Iraola replace Slot.
Still, the club’s decision to part ways with their head coach came as a surprise to Slot himself, with Dutch journalist Marcel van der Kraan explaining that he “firmly believed” he would keep his job.
“Now and again, [Slot and I] liaise and he gave me the impression very much that he was absolutely going to be the manager of Liverpool in the new season,” he told talkSPORT.
“And that Saturday, I think, was an absolute thunder in a clear blue sky for Arne.
“And I spoke to him briefly on the Sunday as well…and I think he was still recovering from the absolute blow that this was.”
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, February 28, 2026: Liverpool's Arne Slot during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and West Ham United FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Van der Kraan added that Slot “firmly believed he had the backing of the club” but “wasn’t bitter” over Liverpool’s change of direction.
The 47-year-old has already been linked with the vacant position at AC Milan but Van der Kraan relayed that Slot would be “very much up for” succeeding Ronald Koeman as Netherlands manager.
That would of course only come after the World Cup and in the event of Koeman losing the job he has held for three-and-a-half years now in his second stint in charge.
Arne Slot “very much up for” Netherlands manager job
Arne Slot of Feyenoord get the applauds of the fans during the Dutch Eredivisie match between Feyenoord and PEC Zwolle at Stadion Feijenoord on May 5, 2024 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. (Photo by Hans van der Valk/Orange Pictures)
“If Ronald Koeman steps down after the World Cup…there is a vacancy at the Dutch national team,” Van der Kraan said.
“I think Arne Slot is very, very much up for that; he’s probably the ideal candidate.
“He can play his Dutch style of football – the passing, attacking style, whatever you call it. I think the Dutch would be happy to have him.”
The Netherlands are in Group F for the tournament and will play Japan (June 14), Sweden (June 20) and Tunisia (June 26).