Arne Slot received a big payout after Liverpool let him go
Liverpool will reportedly give Arne Slot a big payout after letting him go as manager. The club announced on Saturday that they have parted ways with Slot after his second season in charge at Anfield.
Slot, who is Dutch, won the Premier League title in his first season and took home the Manager of the Season award. But this year, Liverpool finished fifth and earned 24 points less than when they won the title.
Slot faced challenges with many key players getting injured. There were also worries about how the team played and repeated criticism from star player Mohamed Salah, who will leave Liverpool by mutual agreement this summer.
Andoni Iraola, who recently left Bournemouth, is expected to be Liverpool’s next head coach.
The club’s owners said it was a “difficult decision” to let Slot go but felt a change was needed to help the club move forward. They also thanked Slot, saying he will always be remembered as the coach who brought Liverpool’s 20th league title.
Slot had signed a three-year contract in the summer of 2024, so he still had one year left when he was sacked. There’s no word yet on what will happen with his coaching staff.
Slot’s assistant, Sipke Hulshoff, came to Liverpool with him from Feyenoord in 2024, and last summer Giovanni van Bronckhorst joined as first-team coach.
It’s common for clubs to agree on a compensation fee for both the manager and their team if they leave together. According to Dutch news outlet FootballTransfers, Liverpool will pay about £9.5 million after Slot’s sacking. That’s much less than the £16.6 million Manchester United paid when they sacked Ruben Amorim earlier this year.
It’s not yet clear if Slot will get his compensation as a one-time payment or continue to be paid weekly while out of work.
Slot leaves at a time when top coaching jobs are rare. Oliver Glasner is set to talk about the AC Milan job after his last game with Crystal Palace, and Napoli looks ready to hire Massimiliano Allegri.
Bayer Leverkusen, who spoke with Iraola before Liverpool’s announcement, could be another option.
Iraola is now the favorite to become Liverpool manager, according to The Athletic. There don’t seem to be many issues stopping his appointment since he has confirmed he’s leaving Bournemouth.