Arne Slot was not expecting to be looking for a new job this summer, but Liverpool have sacked him to force a change of plans for the Dutchman.
As a Premier League-winning head coach, Slot should not be short of offers following his Reds exit, and it will be fascinating to see what the 47-year-old does next.
There were rumours that Slot could join AC Milan after they failed in talks to hire Andoni Iraola, but that has so far come to nothing.
What are your thoughts on a possible return to Liverpool for Nunez?
He's leaving Al Hilal. Perhaps Andoni Iraola's chaotic style could get the best out of him…
Then, reports emerged that Fulham had explored the possibility of appointing the former Liverpool head coach, only to learn that he was not interested.
There will be others who try to lure Slot despite his disappointing second season at Anfield, but while he has so far kept his powder dry, he will surely do well to resist the temptation of returning to Feyenoord, who sacked Robin van Persie on Sunday.
Feyenoord return would be ideal for Slot
Slot clearly thought that his immediate future would be spent at Liverpool, and, as a result, will perhaps not have given much thought to where his career will take him next.
For some managers, returning to Feyenoord would be out of the question. Having made the big step up so successfully to Premier League, many would want to push on to the next opportunity, even if things didn’t end so well at Liverpool.
READ MORE: Steve Nicol can’t believe what he heard about Arne Slot after Liverpool sacking
Slot’s circumstances are slightly different, though. Unless he takes the Milan job, there aren’t any out there that would really appeal in terms of European football.
That would mean waiting for something to come up mid-season, which is never an easy position for a manager.
Perhaps the most persuasive argument for Slot re-taking the Feyenoord job, though, is for him to be close to his family once again.
One of the biggest criticisms Slot faced at Liverpool was his refusal to fully integrate into the club and the environment. His family never moved to live with him and he was regularly jetting back to the Netherlands to spend more time with them. Coming back to Feyenoord would remove that significant obstacle.
Is Slot likely to re-join Feyenoord?
It certainly seems like convenient timing that Feyenoord would sack Van Persie barely one week after Liverpool relieved Slot of his duties at Anfield.
The former Reds boss is well loved at De Kuip, and there will surely now be a clamour for him to return.
Rate Arne Slot’s second season as Liverpool head coach
Can anyone make a serious argument for higher than a C? 😶
So far, there has been no indication that that is what Slot will do. But with a vacancy open and a Eredivisie and Premier League-winning boss suddenly available, it would seem like a smart move from all parties.
For Slot, the only concern may be that this would represent a step backwards in a coaching career that had already reached the top.
If he came back to Feyenoord and struggled, for example, it would potentially be a step that he could not recover from.
Ultimately, this may come down to just how much and how quickly Slot wants to get back to work. If he doesn’t want to take any time off at all, though, Van Persie’s dismissal has given him a perfect way to get straight back in.
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