Liverpool 'could confirm next manager by this weekend'

The Reds have been searching for a new manager since Klopp announced in January that he would leave his role at the end of the season.

Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso emerged as the initial favourite, before he confirmed his intention to stay with the Bundesliga side for at least one more season.

Sporting Lisbon head coach Ruben Amorim soon became the new frontrunner, but it now appears unlikely that he will be the next Liverpool manager.

In the last 48 hours, Feyenoord's Slot has moved into pole position to replace Klopp ahead of the 2024-25 campaign.

Liverpool closing in on Slot appointment

According to the Daily Mail, Liverpool could confirm Slot as their new manager before the weekend, with the situation moving at a rapid pace.

The report claims that the Reds submitted their first compensation offer on Wednesday for the Feyenoord boss, who does not have a release clause in his contract.

With Slot's deal set to expire in two years, there is a belief that it will take an offer of at least £10m to prise him away from De Kuip.

If the Dutchman is appointed Liverpool's new manager, he will likely bring several members of his coaching staff with him, including his assistant Sipke Hulshoff.

Slot's pre-match press conference for Thursday's clash with Go Ahead Eagles was scrapped without an official reason, but it is unclear whether the cancellation was linked to the current speculation surrounding his future.

Slot's managerial career so far

Slot took on his first full-time managerial role in the summer of 2019 when he stepped up from his role as assistant to take over the reins at AZ Alkmaar.

The 45-year-old spent around 18 months with the Eredivisie side before he was sacked in December 2020 because he was reportedly in contact with Feyenoord about their manager's position.

After becoming Feyenoord boss in the summer of 2021, Slot led the club to the Europa Conference League final in his first season in charge.

Slot then guided the Dutch giants to the 2022-23 Eredivisie crown, ending Feyenoord's six-year wait for a league title.

The Feyenoord boss recently claimed his second major trophy as a manager, with his side winning 1-0 in Sunday's KNVB Beker final against NEC.