Arne Slot opportunity opens up as ex-Liverpool boss could make immediate return
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Arne Slot was fired by Liverpool last month, but he could be handed an opportunity to return to his former club Feyenoord after it parted ways with head coach Robin van PersieArne Slot may have an ideal route back into management(Image: Getty Images)Arne Slot could be eyeing a swift return to management just over a week after being dismissed by Liverpool, with a vacancy emerging at his former club Feyenoord following its split with manager Robin van Persie.Slot was relieved of his duties at Liverpool last month after the Reds ended the season trophyless and finished fifth in the Premier League. The Dutch coach was unable to build on his remarkable title-winning debut campaign in England, despite considerable investment in the squad, and has since been succeeded by Andoni Iraola.Although speculation surrounding Slot's future had persisted throughout the season, his departure came almost a week after the conclusion of the English campaign.
Van Persie's exit may have caught many off guard as well, given that he guided Feyenoord to a runner-up finish in the Eredivisie.Feyenoord ended the season 19 points adrift of champion PSV Eindhoven, prompting the club to bring the former Arsenal striker's 16-month reign to a close.Van Persie's departure was confirmed just two weeks after Devy Rigaux was appointed as technical director and Robert Eenhoorn as general manager.A statement confirming the decision read: "Feyenoord will begin the 2026-2027 season with a new head coach. That ensured qualification for the UEFA Champions League, which is of great importance to the club."We conducted a thorough internal evaluation in which we looked at several factors, including the development of the team's performances and the downward trend in points collected, both in Europe and in the Eredivisie."The conclusion was that it would be better to start the new season with a new head coach."Slot took over from Dick Advocaat at Feyenoord in 2021 and went on to enjoy a highly productive spell.
"It's certainly not an easy decision to close the door behind you at a club where you've had so many great moments and worked successfully with so many great people," he said in a statement on Feyenoord's website."But an opportunity to become a head coach in the Premier League, at one of the biggest clubs in the world, is hard to ignore as a sportsman."Speaking last September, Feyenoord chief executive Dennis te Kloese expressed some regret over Slot's exit. "It was just going well, so we thought it could continue under a new manager," he said.