Arne Slot deal expected imminently as Feyenoord want transfer record fee for next Liverpool manager

Arne Slot says he expects to net Feyenoord a new transfer record as Liverpool continue to negotiate for his release to replace Jurgen Klopp.

And the in-demand coach believes an agreement will be reached imminently as the Reds close in on the man to succeed Klopp.

Liverpool have identified the Dutchman as the right man to follow on from the outgoing Klopp at the end of the campaign and stepped up their efforts to bring him to Anfield earlier this week.

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Slot does not have a buyout clause in his contract and it's believed the Eredivisie club turned down an initial offer of around £7.7m this week and are holding out for somewhere closer to the £10-£12m mark.

Such a fee would make Slot one of the most expensive managerial acquisitions in world football and negotiations between the two clubs are ongoing. Speaking after Thursday's 3-1 win at Go Ahead Eagles, he revealed that his exit will bank Feyenoord a record sum for a coaching departure in the Netherlands.

And the 45-year-old was frank when detailing his belief that an agreement will be struck so he can complete a dream move to Anfield later this year.

"I have the impression that a good offer has already been made," Slot said. "And it seems that Feyenoord is already going to make the highest-paid Dutch transfer fee for a coach.

"And somewhere I still have the idea that I have performed so well in recent years, earning [the club] so much that Feyenoord is thinking along those lines.

"I don't think 'wish' is the right word when you know the amounts involved. Wishing is when you have a clause in your contract and that's the maximum they are willing to pay.

"Then you can talk about wishing, now it's just hard bargaining, which is everyone's right. But I absolutely believe they will reach an agreement."

In a post-match chat with NOS, Slot added: "It's hard to think about it because you don't know what the question is going to be but it's relatively simple, the answer I can give. The clubs are negotiating and I am waiting for that. That's the current situation. I can't say anything more about it. I am confident it will work out.

"First the clubs have to make an agreement. I think those are the orders. And if it gets that far, then the season is still going on so you don’t want to ruin that process. Will it be agreed soon? I assume so, yes."

Speaking before the game on Thursday, Slot told ESPN NL: "It's no secret that I want to go to Liverpool. The clubs are negotiating. We have to wait until an agreement is reached, but I have every confidence in that."

Liverpool have a good relationship with Slot's agent, Rafaela Pimenta, the Brazilian lawyer who also looks after the interests of Manchester City striker Erling Haaland among others. Pimenta was a guest at Anfield for a Premier League game last season and personal terms will not be an issue on the contract that will be offered to Slot if a deal can be made with Feyenoord.

Slot, who has reportedly turned down advances from both Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds United previously, has been in charge at De Kuip for the last three seasons, reaching the Europa Conference League final in 2022 where they were beaten by Jose Mourinho's Roma before winning their first Eredivisie title in six years last term. Thursday's win saw them strengthen their grip on second in the table, which came after a KNVB Beker (Dutch Cup) success last weekend.

Liverpool's pursuit of Klopp's successor has been a data-driven process behind the scenes and it's understood Slot has become strongly fancied by the Anfield hierarchy given he fits all of the criteria that have been set out by Fenway Sports Group's 'CEO of Football' Michael Edwards and the Reds' director of research Will Spearman.

Club owners FSG have known about the need for a new manager since Klopp told them of his decision to stand down back in November but the process of securing a replacement has only intensified in recent weeks with the Boston-based organisation keen to restructure the club before sourcing a successor.

That meant former sporting director Edwards was appointed last month to effectively replace Mike Gordon as the head of the club while Richard Hughes will leave his post as Bournemouth's sporting director at the end of the campaign to take up a similar position at Anfield from June 1.

He will bring with him Mark Burchill, the Cherries' chief scout, who will support Barry Hunter and Dave Fallows in the recruitment department alongside director of research Will Spearman and his team.