Arne Slot ‘surprised’ by Liverpool sacking but ‘up for’ taking international job

Arne Slot was taken aback to be sacked by Liverpool, but the Dutchman already has his sights set on his next role.

Slot was dismissed on Saturday, just over a year after guiding the Reds to their second Premier League title in his first season at the helm.

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His departure came following a difficult 2025/26 campaign in which Liverpool failed to win any trophies and only narrowly secured Champions League qualification by finishing fifth in the league.

How did Slot react to being sacked?

Speaking to talkSPORT’s White and Jordan, Dutch football expert Marcel van der Kraan revealed Slot’s thoughts on being relieved of his duties.

“Now and again, we liaise and he gave me the impression very much that he was absolutely going to be the manager of Liverpool in the new season,” Van der Kraan said. “And that Saturday, I think, was an absolute thunder in a clear blue sky for Arne.

“And I spoke to him briefly on the Sunday as well…and I think he was still recovering from the absolute blow that this was.”

According to Van der Kraan, Slot firmly believed “he had the backing of the club” and was looking ahead to next season.

Despite his shock at being dismissed, Van der Kraan emphasised that Slot bears no ill-feeling towards Liverpool. He continued: “I think he wasn’t bitter. He was more still [processing] that surprise, realising he didn’t win a trophy. And in football, you know, you get judged on trophies.”

Responding to Simon Jordan’s view that Slot didn’t seem to have improved any player with the exception of Dominik Szoboszlai in his second season at Anfield, Van der Kraan admitted his surprise too.

He replied: “This is where it’s still puzzling me as well a little bit, because it was the opposite in all the years when he worked in the Netherlands. And the Premier League maybe does have bigger demands to foreign managers than we all think.

“Maybe the [style of] football, which he loved and he wanted to do, is maybe more suitable for continental styles; for the Dutch; Germany; Italy; Spain – I don’t know.

“The Premier League – high tempo – really does demand something special. And at the same time, we see that very few Dutch guys make it as a manager in the Premier League.”

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Slot was the first Dutch manager to win the Premier League title, and only the fourth Dutch manager to win any major English trophy this century – after Erik ten Hag, who led Manchester United to the 2022/23 EFL Cup, and Louis van Gaal and Guus Hiddink, who lifted the FA Cup with Man Utd in 2016 and Chelsea in 2009, respectively.

What next for Slot?

So, what does the future hold for Slot?

Well, Van der Kraan believes his compatriot is keen on one job in particular.

“If Ronald Koeman steps down after the World Cup…there is a vacancy at the Dutch national team,” Van der Kraan noted. “I think Arne Slot is very, very much up for that; he’s probably the ideal candidate.

“He can play his Dutch style of football – the passing, attacking style, whatever you call it. I think the Dutch would be happy to have him.”

As for Liverpool, their search for Slot’s successor is underway, and talkSPORT understands Andoni Iraola, who recently left his position as Bournemouth boss, will be the man to take on his old role.