Milos Kerkez texted Arne Slot after being woken up and told he'd been fired
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Liverpool FC NewsFeaturesArne SlotLiverpool defender Milos Kerkez has shared how he learned of Arne Slot's firing earlier this summer; the former Reds boss has since been succeeded by Andoni IraolaMilos Kerkez has discussed Arne Slot's departure from Liverpool(Image: Photo by Andrew J. Clark/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)Milos Kerkez has opened up about Arne Slot's departure from Liverpool and how he learned of the Dutchman's dismissal.The Reds endured a challenging 2025/26 campaign despite winning the Premier League just one season earlier.
A string of disappointing results left Liverpool scrambling into fifth place to secure qualification for next season's Champions League, but it was not enough to save the head coach's job.On May 30, news broke that the club had decided to part ways with Slot a year after his league title triumph, with owner Fenway Sports Group (FSG) citing the need for a change in direction as the reason behind the decision. As a result, Bournemouth's Andoni Iraola was appointed as Slot's replacement and will take charge of his first competitive game in less than a month.One player Iraola is already familiar with is Kerkez, having worked with the Hungary international at Bournemouth before the defender moved to Merseyside last summer.Still, the club's decision to change head coach came as a shock to the players, as Kerkez detailed the moment he learned the news earlier this summer."It was a big surprise," Kerkez explained to the Liverpool Echo.
"I was back in Serbia, I was sleeping when my brother woke me up and showed me the news (about Slot).Former Liverpool head coach Arne Slot left the club in May(Image: 2026 James Gill - Danehouse)"Nobody knew. We need to improve this year."Liverpool has already made a promising start to life under Iraola with a convincing 4-2 win over Sunderland in its first preseason game last weekend.Kerkez featured in the second half in Nashville as the Reds came from 2-1 down to secure the victory.For now, Iraola's men are preparing for the remainder of their U.S. tour, which includes games against Wrexham and Leeds.They will then return to England for meetings with Monaco and Como at Anfield before opening their Premier League campaign against Newcastle on August 23.Choose Liverpool.com as a 'Preferred Source' on Google News for quick access to the news you value.Milos KerkezLiverpool FCArne Slot