LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, May 9, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot before the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Chelsea FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, May 9, 2026: Liverpool's head coach Arne Slot before the FA Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Chelsea FC at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Arne Slot is prioritising remaining in European club football over a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia, while also ruling himself out of the running for the Netherlands national job.
Eddie Howe’s departure from Newcastle less than a month before Liverpool’s visit for the season opener saw Slot emerge as a candidate for Saudi Pro League club Al-Ahli.
With Newcastle expected to appoint Matthias Jaissle as their new manager, it leaves an opening for the Saudi side to fill, prompting an approach to Slot.
The 47-year-old remains without a job after his exit from Liverpool at the end of May, but ESPN and the Mail‘s Lewis Steele on X report his priority is to stay in Europe.
He is due to turn down the lucrative approach from Al-Ahli as he is “prioritising a return to the European club game in his next job.”
Clubs in England, Germany and Italy have also contacted the Premier League-winning manager since his Anfield exit, but no move has yet materialised.
Fulham and AC Milan were among the clubs to reach out to Slot over the summer, but both have since appointed Alvaro Arbeloa and Ruben Amorim, respectively.
Arne Slot turns down Netherlands head coach role
LONDON, ENGLAND - Sunday, August 10, 2025: Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk and Arne Slot before the FA Community Shield match between Crystal Palace FC and Liverpool FC at Wembley Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
LONDON, ENGLAND - Sunday, August 10, 2025: Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk and Arne Slot before the FA Community Shield match between Crystal Palace FC and Liverpool FC at Wembley Stadium. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Slot has been heavily linked with taking the Netherlands national team job after Ronald Koeman stepped down after a round of 32 exit from this summer’s World Cup.
While he was considered the leading contender, reports in the Netherlands, including the reliable NU.nl, state Slot has informed the Dutch FA that he “wishes to continue working in club football.”
He wants to “wait and see what comes his way in the near future,” meaning he will not reunite with Virgil van Dijk, Jeremie Frimpong, Ryan Gravenberch and Cody Gakpo on the international stage.
Current Netherlands U21 coach Michael Reiziger and PSV’s Peter Bosz are now considered the frontrunners for the Dutch national job, though Bosz only signed a contract extension in February.
Most clubs have now filled their dugouts ahead of the 2026/27 season, meaning Slot will have to bide his time to return to club management, which he will want to consider carefully following his early Liverpool exit.
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