Georginio Wijnaldum shares Arne Slot verdict after Liverpool appointment
Former Liverpool man Georginio Wijnaldum has shared his thoughts on the Reds’ appointment of Arne Slot.
Slot has officially been the Liverpool manager since June 1 and has been lauded by many following his hiring.
Wijnaldum, a Champions League winner with Liverpool who plays for Al-Ettifaq in Saudi Arabia, thinks Slot belongs in the same category as the likes of former Reds boss Jurgen Klopp and Jose Mourinho.
“In Arne Slot, I think Liverpool has really acquired a great successor. I can compare it with Klopp and Mourinho and then I say that Slot is at the same level,” he said to Algameen Dagblad (8 June).
Will Arne Slot be a strong successor to Jurgen Klopp?
The departure of Klopp came as a shock to many Liverpool fans as well as members of the media.
Especially since the German had only recently signed a contract extension that was set to keep him at the club until at least 2026.
However, Klopp decided it was time to call time on his extremely popular tenure at Anfield and Slot was chosen as the successor after a successful stint coaching Feyenoord.
His services didn’t come cheap with the Reds splashing a reported eight-figure fee to finalise the deal.
Slot has spent the entirety of his managerial career in the Netherlands and, despite the 45-year-old managing a total of three clubs, it’s at Feyenoord where his impact was felt the most.
The Dutchman won the club their first title since the 2016/17 season and even carried the team to the maiden Europa Conference League final.
And, in his final season, he managed to come away with the KNVB Cup and finish second in the Eredivisie, finishing seven points behind PSV.
It’s evident that Liverpool have a serial winner on their hands, and, to make things even sweeter, he also has a keen eye for developing young talent, something which Klopp thrived upon.
All in all, despite Slot not being a household name as of yet, it feels as if the Reds have a strong candidate on their hands to take over from Klopp.
In other Liverpool news, a big-money offer is being readied for a Serie A midfielder.
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