LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, April 11, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot before the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Fulham FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, April 11, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot before the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Fulham FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Arne Slot is clear to take the Netherlands manager job if talks with the Dutch FA prove successful, with Liverpool willing to top up his salary if he does so.
Slot has only been out of work for a month-and-a-half but the former Liverpool head coach is already proving in high demand.
The 47-year-old was touted for the AC Milan job and turned down an offer from Fulham, while he is now seen as the No. 1 candidate to replace Ronald Koeman in charge of the Netherlands national team.
While it remains to be seen if Slot will take the leading role for his country, De Telegraaf‘s Marcel van der Kraan reports that Liverpool are ready to ease his situation.
Van der Kraan explains that while managers would typically forgo any remaining payments on their contracts if they take another job after being sacked, that will not be the case with Slot.
Arne Slot is remaining in the Netherlands (Richard Sellers/PA)
Arne Slot is remaining in the Netherlands (Richard Sellers/PA)
He writes that Liverpool are currently still paying Slot’s salary, which will amount to €30 million over the course of the three-year deal he signed in 2024, and would “top up” any earnings agreed on taking the Netherlands job.
Effectively, Slot would be free to negotiate a lower-paid contract with the Dutch FA knowing he would still be earning the same as he was at Anfield until 2027.
That removes what is described as a “complicated financial obstacle,” which Van der Kraan claims would not have been the case if he made the jump to a Premier League rival.
Koeman resigned after the Netherlands’ exit from the World Cup at the round-of-32 stage, with Slot quickly positioned as the favourite to replace him.
Who else is linked with the Netherlands job?
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, October 1, 2024: Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot with assistant coach John Heitinga (R) during a training session at the AXA Training Centre ahead of the UEFA Champions League match between Liverpool FC and Bologna FC. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Tuesday, October 1, 2024: Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot with assistant coach John Heitinga (R) during a training session at the AXA Training Centre ahead of the UEFA Champions League match between Liverpool FC and Bologna FC. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Louis van Gaal – already a three-time Netherlands manager who recently stepped down from his advisory role at Ajax – is among the other candidates for the position.
Current U21s coach Michael Reiziger, Koeman’s assistant Ruud van Nistelrooy, PSV Eindhoven head coach Peter Bosz and Slot’s former Liverpool assistant John Heitinga are also strongly linked.
Slot has remained out of the public eye since his departure from Liverpool, enjoying time away with his family in Ibiza and the United States.
He is unlikely to rush into another club role but the opportunity to become Netherlands manager could bring a unique appeal.
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LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, May 24, 2026: Liverpool's Stefan Bajcetic before the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Brentford FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
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LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Sunday, May 24, 2026: Liverpool's goalkeeper Alisson Becker during the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Brentford FC at Anfield. The game ended in a 1-1 draw. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)