Arne Slot signed a three-year contract when he joined Liverpool last summer
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By LEWIS STEELE
Published: 17:30 EDT, 23 May 2025 | Updated: 17:30 EDT, 23 May 2025
Arne Slot is grasping a book he was gifted this week entitled Liverpool Encyclopedia – and now he wants to write even more chapters in the history of the club.
He is sitting in a room at the HQ of the Premier League champions reminiscing on his story so far in football but also looking ahead to what could be the start of an era of domination at Anfield.
Asked if he could see himself at Liverpool for as long as his legendary predecessor Jurgen Klopp, Slot says: ‘I could see it, yes. There are not many managers that stay at a club for nine years because nine out of ten times the board or someone at the club isn't happy any more.
‘That has changed a lot over the course of the last few years, in England especially. This club has a history of having managers for a long time and we also saw that with Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson.
‘But I think in general in football and in life there is not so much patience. Maybe England is an exception. So I could see myself working here for a long time because it's a great club to work for and I'm really happy over here.
‘Not only this club, but also our owners (Fenway Sports Group), I'm watching a documentary about the Boston Red Sox, who FSG also own. There, Alex Cora is the coach, I think he finished low in the first two seasons and he is still there.
Arne Slot is setting his sights on a long tenure as Liverpool boss after claiming the title in his debut campaign
Jurgen Klopp was in charge of the Reds for nine years before departing at the end of last season
‘I could see it, but it is kind of arrogant to say that if you have only been here a year that you will be here for nine years. I don’t think it will be enough if after five years I say, “Do remember that in my first year I won the league title!”.’
This time last year, Slot was waving goodbye to Feyenoord and nervous ahead of the sizable step-up from the Dutch Eredivisie to the English Premier League.
He could have made that move a year earlier, to Tottenham, but was not sold on the vision of the north London club.
‘There was never one second of a doubt (about joining Liverpool),’ he says. ‘And that was largely to do with the fact why they wanted me and how they tried to convince me to come.
So I didn't have to open my laptop one time to show them what I did or how I worked.
‘They knew everything about me. Journalists in Holland wrote wrongly that I was one of the three or four candidates, but from the start it was clear to me. I told my agent that if I am one of three candidates, I am not interested.
‘I'm only interested if they want me as the only one, I didn't want to go into another summer where I had to do all these kinds of meetings and then wait. My time at Feyenoord was too good. So that's why I had no doubts because they were so clear that Liverpool wanted me.
‘I don't think Richard (Hughes, sporting director) showed me everything, but he knew many, many, many games and many of the assessments I've made during games – the changes I made in tactics.
This time last year Slot was waving goodbye to Feyenoord after leading the side to the Dutch cup
Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes led the search in identifying Slot as the right man to succeed Klopp
‘Julian (Ward, assistant sporting director) visited the Feyenoord training ground, so he spoke with a lot of people trying to get some knowledge for the club and how I worked over there. There was not a stone unturned.’
Similar can be said about Slot’s methods this season which will culminate in lifting the trophy on Sunday – and the same ‘no stone unturned’ method will be applied to transfer business this summer.
Jeremie Frimpong has completed a medical ahead of a £29.5million switch from Bayer Leverkusen and his team-mate, Florian Wirtz, is also of interest and the pendulum is starting to swing in Liverpool’s favour.
Jurgen Klopp is expected to be present at Anfield to see his successor Slot lift the trophy on Sunday.