Arne Slot is back in football following his departure from Liverpool at the end of last season. The Dutchman was dismissed after a disappointing title defence that saw the Reds finish fifth in the Premier League, narrowly securing Champions League qualification.
He was subsequently linked with the Netherlands national team job before making it clear that his immediate future lies in club football. He told Voetbal International: “That speculation is incorrect. We simply never got to that stage of the talks.
“At this stage of my career, I prefer to see myself on the training field with my players every day, something that is simply not possible in the same way with a national team.
“I have a lot of respect for the national team and for the KNVB [Dutch Football Association] and can only be positive about the professional way in which the talks went that week. For now, I believe that club football still has a lot to offer me.”
Slot also reportedly rejected an opportunity to take charge of Fulham. While awaiting his next managerial appointment, the 48-year-old has joined UEFA’s Technical Observer Group, alongside several prominent figures, including some with Liverpool connections.
Slot remains keen to return to club management and has reportedly been linked with Tottenham Hotspur amid growing pressure on Roberto De Zerbi following Spurs’ poor start to the season despite significant summer investment.
According to De Telegraaf, Ajax technical director Jordi Cruyff wanted to make another attempt to appoint Slot but was quickly met with a firm refusal in the summer.
Cruyff subsequently appointed Michel Sanchez as Ajax’s new head coach. The Spaniard arrived from Girona and enjoyed a 5-2 victory over FC Groningen last weekend, providing a rare bright spot for the Amsterdam club amid an otherwise difficult period.
Consequently, attention has increasingly shifted towards Sanchez’s media communication, with criticism focusing on his use of both English and Spanish rather than his coaching credentials.
Ajax sit third in the Eredivisie, five points behind leaders Feyenoord, who are managed by Giovanni van Bronckhorst. The former Arne Slot assistant was appointed head coach in the summer.
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