Arne Slot Richard Hughes Liverpool 2024-25
© IMAGO - Arne Slot Richard Hughes Liverpool 2024-25
Arne Slot's assistant is leaving which means it's time for a club legend to return to Anfield.
Johnny Heitinga has been given permission to talk to Ajax about becoming the Dutch side's manager. The former Everton defender has been working alongside Slot during the last season, and he's been a brilliant presence in the Liverpool dressing room.
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Heitinga has been a key bridge between the coaching staff and the players. He's played a massive role in training sessions and he's formed a close bond with a lot of the club's current stars.
But he has ambitions to go on to bigger things and becoming a manager of Ajax would be a massive honour for the Dutch international.
That's why Liverpool will be willing to let him go and that's why the Reds may now be looking to find their replacement for Heitinga.
But there's only one obvious candidate and apparently Slot is already trying to bring him to the club.
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According to reporter Peter O'Rourke, Liverpool are now plotting a move for Dirk Kuyt to replace Heitinga. Kuyt has been a manager of Beerschot in Belgium but he's expected to leave the club according to the report.
He's had a mixed time in Beerschot. Kuyt led them to promotion last season, winning the second division title in Belgium. However, his team now look destined to be relegated.
It's only Kuyt's second stint as a manager in senior football. He's worked briefly at ADO Den Haag.
But before that, Kuyt was also at Feyenoord, coaching the club's U19 team and also shadowing Slot in the first team. Being a Feyenoord legend, Kuyt has a close connection with Slot.
Anfield Watch understands Slot even wanted him to be his assistant at Feyenoord. Kuyt has also spoken really highly of Slot in the past.
Arne Slot Liverpool Dirk Kuyt
© IMAGO - Arne Slot and Dirk Kuyt going up against each other before their Liverpool days.
"What struck me about Arne was his ability to make the players believe in what he believes in," Kuyt told The Athletic.
"I talked to some of them when I was there and they all spoke so highly about him. They love how he organises the training sessions and how he gets his ideas across. He’s an excellent communicator and man manager."
Given Kuyt's managerial experience and his previous relationship with Slot it makes sense for him to become Liverpool's assistant manager.
We are talking about a Liverpool legend after all. Kuyt played close to 300 games for the club, he scored 71 goals and was ever reliable during the six seasons he spent at Anfield.
He scored a hat-trick against Manchester United, netted in the Champions League final and was always the man for the big occasions.
Obviously, he knows the club inside out. It's still a special club for him, with Kuyt visiting regularly for Legends games at Anfield over the years.
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Having had a bit of a setback in his early managerial career, it makes sense for him to take a step-back. He can learn a lot at Liverpool and then move on like Heitinga has done in a few years time.