Arne Slot has said he will be leaving Feyenoord to take over at Liverpool as Jurgen Klopp’s replacement next season.

The Dutchman confirmed the news in a press conference ahead of his current side’s final Eredivisie match of the season against Excelsior this weekend.

Klopp is leaving Anfield this summer after nearly nine years in charge, while Arne Slot has said that he is set to take over from Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool this summer.

The Feyenoord manager used his press conference ahead of his side’s final Eredivisie fixture of the season to make the announcement.

“I can confirm that I will become the trainer there next year,” Slot said.

Klopp will take charge of his final Liverpool game this weekend when they face Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield on the concluding day of the season.

Klopp announced in January that he would leave the club at the end of the campaign after nearly a decade in charge. During his time at the helm, Liverpool have won the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, an FA Cup and two League Cups.

Former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso was quickly linked as the No. 1 candidate for the vacancy following a sensational campaign with Bayer Leverkusen, but the 42-year-old – in his first full season as a manager – soon confirmed his desire to remain in Germany with Leverkusen after delivering the club their first Bundesliga title.

Slot became the leading contender to succeed Klopp in April when a compensation deal worth up to £9.4 million was reportedly agreed between the two clubs.

The 45-year-old joined Feyenoord in 2021 and during his first season in charge, led the Dutch club to their first European final since 2002 where they came runners-up to AS Roma in the UEFA Europa Conference League.

In his second season, he led the club to their first Eredivisie title since 2017 and although his side lost the title to PSV Eindhoven this campaign, Slot delivered the KNVB Cup to wrap up his third job in management.

Slot will take charge of his final Feyenoord game on Sunday when they face Excelsior at home ahead of his impending move to Liverpool this summer.

In his press conference on Friday, Slot added: “Until now I was not thinking about this being the build-up to my last match, but that starts coming now. At the beginning of the week, you are thinking about training and those kinds of things.

“But the feeling gets stronger now. That is why I’m a little bit late now [for the news conference] because I wanted to say goodbye to some people personally and take time for them, more than just shaking hands.

“I understand that good results help, but it is very nice to feel that people really are thinking it’s a pity that I’m leaving.”

Mikel Arteta has told his team to “embrace that moment” when they face Everton on Sunday, with the chance to bring the Premier League title back to North London for the first time since 2004.

The Gunners can win the league if Manchester City fails to beat West Ham United on the season’s final day. “That’s the only thing we can do, focus on our game,” Arteta exclusively told TNT Sports.

Arsenal must beat Everton at Emirates Stadium to have any chance of winning the league while hoping West Ham United can upset the odds against Pep Guardiola’s side in Manchester.

Asked how Arsenal will approach the game, Gunners boss Arteta said that his players must “use all the energy” in the stadium as they look to end their barren run for a top-flight crown.

“That’s the only thing we can do, focus on our game,” Arteta told TNT Sports ahead of the decisive Everton clash, live on TNT Sports and Discovery+.

“In the difficult challenge in Everton, they’re in a perfect moment and are a tough opposition to play against.

“Do our things, embrace that moment, use all the energy that is going to be in that stadium and leave the day in the way that we have to leave it.

“And then hope West Ham are going to be very aligned with us and are going to help us to achieve our dream.”

There is hope out there for Arsenal players and fans alike as they approach this weekend’s showdown, with the title odds stacked in Man City’s favour.

No matter the result on Sunday, Arteta will look at the outcome positively as Arsenal continue to progress under his stewardship.

“I believe a lot in those things, and in journeys, and that things happen for a reason,” Arteta added. “We don’t know what the outcome is going to be but for whatever reason it is going to be for a reason.

“I don’t know if we’re going to find out on Sunday, in three months or three years. But it will happen for a reason.”

Arsenal have surpassed expectations by going toe-to-toe with Man City for two consecutive seasons, which Arteta described as “fascinating”.

He added: “To be in the position we are in, in the final game of the season, in front of our crowd, with the Premier League [trophy] there waiting for us. This is beautiful; they’re the moments you want to live.”

Arteta re-joined Arsenal from Man City in December 2019 to take on his first managerial job, and after a difficult start which included back-to-back eighth-placed finishes, he has the team challenging for major titles for the first time in years.

The Spaniard has been a revelation in North London and is now considered one of the best managers in Europe, despite his short time on the touchline.

He delivered an FA Cup in his first season, brought UEFA Champions League football back to Emirates Stadium for the first time in seven years and now has the club on the verge of a Premier League title. But he hopes his best moments as Arsenal boss are to come.

“The best one is hopefully going to be on Sunday,” he said.

“And then during that journey to Sunday, stepping into that stadium with that feeling and with that energy with our people that have been incredible for us.

“Living that moment together, hopefully, the outcome will be unbelievable.”

*TNT

Pepijn Lijnders will become head coach at Red Bull Salzburg after leaving Liverpool.

The Dutchman was named the Austrian Bundesliga club’s new manager this afternoon, confirming his next challenge after leaving the Reds at the end of 2023-24.

Vitor Matos, who previously served as LFC’s elite development coach for four and a half years, will become the assistant coach in Salzburg.

“I am very proud to become the new head coach of FC Red Bull Salzburg,” Lijnders stated.

“This is a true privilege for me. After PSV Eindhoven, FC Porto, and Liverpool FC, I am now joining another exceptional club with a great structure and a strong emphasis on youth development.

“I want to instil in the team a mentality that values an attacking style of play and is driven by passion and a desire to succeed.

“Together with my assistant coach Vitor Matos and the entire support team, we will do our best to help the club grow in an ever-changing football world.”

“My family has previously visited the city and was blown away by its beauty and the friendliness of the people. That was the final and most important step for me in selecting FC Red Bull Salzburg.”

Lijnders joined Liverpool in 2014 as the Academy’s U16s coach before being promoted to first-team development coach in 2015.

He initially worked under Brendan Rodgers in that position and remained with the senior squad after Jürgen Klopp was appointed manager later that year.

Following a spell in charge of NEC Nijmegen in his native Netherlands, Lijnders returned to Liverpool as assistant manager for the 2018-19 season.

Matos joined the Reds from FC Porto in October 2019 to fill a role previously held by Lijnders, serving as a vital link between the club’s Academy and senior team.

Both have since played important roles as members of Klopp’s coaching staff during a period when the Reds won seven major titles, including the Premier League and Champions League.

Lijnders and Matos are among several members of Klopp’s coaching staff who will leave the club following Sunday’s season-ending match against Wolverhampton Wanderers.