Arne Slot could swap places with Liverpool man amid pursuit of Jürgen Klopp successor

Liverpool has identified the Feyenoord head coach Arne Slot as its preferred candidate to take over from Jürgen Klopp this summer, with the 45-year-old now the leading contender for the vacancy. Others including Rúben Amorim had also been under consideration.

But after an extensive process, led by FSG CEO of football Michael Edwards, Liverpool has now approached Feyenoord, and talks over Slot have begun. If the deal does happen and Slot is the chosen replacement for Klopp, Feyenoord will of course be looking for a successor of its own. And Liverpool might have the ideal answer.

According to Voetbal Zone, current Liverpool coach Pep Lijnders, who is expected to move into a head coach role once he leaves Anfield, could be on Feyenoord's shortlist. Lijnders is expected to take his Liverpool colleague Vitor Matos, who is also set to depart this summer, wherever he goes next as his assistant.

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Lijnders has been suggested in some quarters as a possible candidate to take over from Klopp and lead the next phase at Anfield. But while the Boot Room tradition returning would be welcomed by many, that was ruled out early on.

The Dutch coach was confirmed as departing once Klopp had made his own announcement and that took him out of the running. Other candidates, of course including Slot, have far more experience of leading a club on their own rather than as part of a team.

Nevertheless, it will be a big step up for whoever comes in to replace Klopp. If it is Slot, he has experience in the Eredivisie but the Premier League will be an altogether different challenge.

Lijnders has managed in the Netherlands before, briefly leaving Liverpool to take charge of NEC Nijmegen. But that only lasted six months and he made a return to the Reds' set-up in an increased role.

Liverpool.com says: Lijnders moving into management in the Netherlands would appear to make a lot of sense. He knows the league well and would get some time to implement his ideas with Feyenoord.

Either Holland or Portugal would appear to be a good next step for him, where he can take charge of a team on the up and apply what he has learned at Liverpool to a new scenario. If he does that successfully, big jobs including the Liverpool one may be available to him in the future.