Why Arne Slot has yet to be confirmed as Liverpool manager as questions continue every week

Even for someone who appears to be an honest, upfront sort of manager, there is surely only so many times Arne Slot can try and keep a lid on his future.

The Feyenoord boss was once more being asked about the prospect of taking over from Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool for next season in the immediate aftermath of their 5-0 hammering of PEC Zwolle on Sunday.

Rather than reflecting on another goal-laden performance - Sunday's win means they have now scored 15 in their last four games - Slot was instead facing up to questions of succeeding Klopp at Anfield once more.

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In a press conference that was attended by a handful of journalists from the English footballing media, it was inevitable that Slot would be making headlines for soundbites relating to Anfield rather than De Kuip as the intrigue around his next move rages on.

And true to form, he answered with the same frankness of recent weeks, revealing: “I saw a few minutes of the game (Liverpool's 4-2 win over Tottenham) but we had to come to the stadium.

"Just the first goal (from Mohamed Salah), a great goal. It was a good win from Liverpool. If the official confirmation is there, and I go there, I will watch a lot of games from them.

“Sometimes in life, opportunities come along and you have to listen. I have made that choice for myself. In the next days and weeks, you will see the announcement. Last year I made the choice to stay and now, I probably made another choice.”

It was an assertion that followed from quotes attributed to Slot on Friday, where he said: “We haven't confirmed anything yet and as long as we haven't confirmed anything yet I don't think it is honest to the club I am working for now or the club I could go to to talk about it.

“I am more than happy to answer any questions after the official announcement is made. I have all the confidence that will happen but for now it hasn't been confirmed officially yet.

“There is a time and place to do so and this moment today is not that moment. There are three games to go for us and also for Liverpool.”

And those soundbites were given after the Dutchman told reporters from both the Netherlands and England the previous week about his belief that an agreement between the two clubs was close, something which was later confirmed when it was revealed Liverpool had shaken hands on a compensation package with the Eredivisie outfit.

“I have the impression that a good offer has already been made," Slot said after seeing his side beat Go Ahead Eagles 3-1. "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."

The 45-year-old was also quoted as saying: “I’m not worried at all about whether [the move to Liverpool] will go ahead – the question is when it will be communicated.

"I think I agree on that, that it looked like that [a farewell]. Because of all the rumours in the media, I think they are expecting me to leave. Yeah, that is something we could say."

“I think it’s normal that if you go to a new club, and if that would be Liverpool, it is normal that you contact the former coach. I did this when I went to Feyenoord as well. It’s more than normal that, all the knowledge a person has that worked a few years at that club – and in his situation, even nine years – that you contact [Klopp].

"Apart from that, I know his assistant quite well, Pepijn Lijnders. But if there’s an official confirmation when the season is done, it would be strange if I didn’t call him then.”

By now, Slot might be forgiven for tiring of offering updates without the support of anything official but he is most certainly keeping the news agenda rolling on in the absence of anything formal from either Feyenoord or Liverpool.

Anfield officials had been at pains to hold off negotiating with the Dutch club before their KNVB Beker (Dutch Cup) success over Nijmegen on April 21 and there's a school of thought that suggests that while their own dreams of a Premier League title remain mathematically alive, however slender, there won't be any official news that might rock the boat.

There is also some merit in the claims that the Reds might be waiting to give Klopp the rousing, emotional send-off he so fittingly deserves before confirming anything publicly about his successor.

With PSV now officially declared as Dutch champions and Slot's men comfortably settled in second place, there appears to be little sporting jeopardy in confirming the Feyenoord boss as the next manager of Liverpool from their end.

For now, though, the void will continue to be filled by Slot it seems, even if there is little more he can realistically now offer. By now, it is the most open of secrets but the wait goes on.