Liverpool are closing in on the appointment of Etienne Reijnen to their coaching staff, a move that would further demonstrate the club’s backing of head coach Arne Slot, according to The Guardian.
Slot has come under growing pressure in recent weeks, with Liverpool still battling to secure Champions League qualification and criticism emerging over the team’s style of play.
Mohamed Salah’s social media comments last weekend also added to the scrutiny surrounding the Dutchman.
Despite the pressure, Liverpool remain supportive of Slot and are now working on a deal to bring Feyenoord assistant Etiënne Reijnen to Anfield this summer.
Etienne Reijnen previously played alongside Slot at PEC Zwolle and later became his assistant at Feyenoord in 2023.
Slot had hoped to bring the 39-year-old with him when he first joined Liverpool, but work permit complications prevented the move.
Negotiations are ongoing, though Feyenoord technical director Dennis te Kloese appeared to hint at Reijnen’s departure earlier this week, praising him as a “very talented young coach”.
Slot, however, declined to confirm the move during Friday’s press conference.
“As long as things are not done, then I will not be commenting on who we are signing or who we don’t,” he said.
But he added: “It is fair to say that I have worked with him before and I have a very high regard for him in terms of the coach he is. It is also clear that I tried to sign him two years ago when I first came here but we couldn’t do it.”
The Liverpool head coach also refused to be drawn into Mohamed Salah’s latest comments or confirm whether the Egypt international will feature in Sunday’s final game against Brentford, which is also expected to mark Andy Robertson’s farewell to Anfield.
However, Slot agreed with Salah on the importance of securing Champions League qualification and stressed that Liverpool’s immediate focus must remain on finishing in the top five before attention turns to potential goodbyes at the end of the season.
“If you were to ask these two players – and I think it was also one of the things Mo said in his post – that he also understands how important qualification for the Champions League is for us,” Slot said.
“If we want to have an even more solid base than the one we have built this season, going into next season, then Champions League football is vital for that. It will give it an even more sold base than without Champions League football.”
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