Liverpool look all set to confirm the appointment of Arne Slot as Jurgen Klopp’s successor.
The Feyenoord manager has been chosen as the candidate to take Liverpool into the unknown of the post-Klopp era.
As the past couple of weeks have shown, there’s plenty of work to be done at Anfield. Let’s hope that Slot is up to the task.
There’s little question that the 45-year-old inherits a very talented Liverpool squad. However, it’s also clear that a number of areas can be improved upon in the transfer market.
And as the Reds gear up to enter their first summer without Klopp in nine years, Slot has been urged to make a huge call and get rid of two big name players.
Arne Slot urged to replace big names
It’s great to finally have some clarity over who will be in the Anfield dugout next season. Now we can finally start looking ahead.
Aside from exactly who the manager would be though, there have also been question marks about some of Liverpool’s more established stars.
Thankfully, things have also been cleared up a little bit in that sense, too. Monday brought reports that Mohamed Salah is likely to stay at the club for another year.
That news will largely be greeted with enthusiasm and some relief from Liverpool supporters. However, it seems that not everyone is in agreement. Speaking via Dutch outlet Soccer News, former Netherlands international Rene van der Gijp has urged Slot to replace both Salah and Virgil van Dijk whenever he can.
“I think Slot would do best to slowly replace guys like Salah and Van Dijk,” says Van der Gijp. “I read that Dortmund would be interested in Van Dijk, instead of Hummels. Then you play in a slightly easier league.
“Salah also just has to leave,” he added. “He’s performed incredibly, year in, year out. Now slowly the wear and tear is starting to come on a bit. That’s not easy. Your ego is affected, you fall down in the pecking order.”
What’s going on with Virgil van Dijk
Obviously, we now know the likely direction of travel in regards to Salah’s future, but what of Van Dijk?
Like Salah, the Liverpool captain has just one year now remaining on his contract at Anfield.
It had been reported that Van Dijk was waiting to see who replaced Klopp as manager before making a decision. Now that Slot looks set to come in, it feels promising that the 32-year-old would want to stay and help his countryman settle in.
Van Dijk has also spoken positively about likely incoming assistant manager Sipke Hulshoff in the past. Surely those things make it more possible for the centre-back to stay.
For some, like Van der Gijp, it may be time for Virgil to call it a day at Liverpool. But in our opinion, the big man is far from done yet. It would be a big mistake to let him follow Klopp out of the door.
