Premier League
Virgil Van Dijk Believes Arne Slot ‘Philosophy’ Fits Liverpool
Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk believes that Arne Slot’s attacking tactics could be a perfect fit for the Premier League club if the Feyenoord manager is chosen to succeed Jurgen Klopp.
Klopp is set to depart Anfield after the current season, and Slot is currently the frontrunner for the position. Discussions are said to be underway between Liverpool and Slot regarding a possible move to Merseyside, with Van Dijk endorsing his compatriot’s footballing philosophy.
“I find it hard to answer of course, but I think Arne Slot is perhaps one of the better Dutch coaches at this moment,” Van Dijk told Viaplay following Liverpool’s 2-0 defeat at Everton on Wednesday.
He continued, “I think the way of playing and the philosophy he has, that he could be a Liverpool coach. Only I think from what I read and hear is that it’s still far from being completed. We shall see.”
If Arne Slot is chosen to succeed Klopp, he will probably need to rejuvenate a Liverpool team that is expected to end this season on a disappointing note. Following a defeat to local rivals Everton, Liverpool find themselves three points adrift of league leaders Arsenal with only four games remaining.
Manchester City, currently in third place, will secure the title if they win their remaining six matches. Klopp’s final season at Anfield has been underwhelming, with exits in the FA Cup and Europa League quarter-finals. Van Dijk acknowledged that the team does not merit winning the title in their current form.
“In games like these, the bare minimum is fight. We were lacking that at so many moments in games,” Van Dijk said after the Everton defeat. “If you play as we did, obviously even if we create two or three clear-cut chances again, you don’t deserve to win the league”.
He continued, “It’s crunch time and we’ve not been good enough in the way we finished the chances off, in the way we defended together, and also the fight. I think we have to show much more. But we have to look in the mirror and every one of us has to think like, ‘Listen, you can’t accept this. You can’t accept the way we let our season end’.”
Following Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso’s decision to remove himself from consideration as a potential successor to Klopp, Slot has emerged as the leading candidate for the position. His impressive resume indicates that he has the potential to make a significant impact in the Premier League.
Slot was a top contender for the managerial role at Tottenham last year but withdrew from the race, leading to Ange Postecoglou’s appointment at the north London club.
Implementing an attacking style of play, Slot guided Feyenoord to the Dutch championship in 2023 and secured the Dutch Cup this season. Currently, Feyenoord occupies the second position in the Eredivisie, trailing league leaders PSV Eindhoven by nine points with four matches remaining.
