The hefty price Liverpool must pay for 'leading candidate' to replace Klopp, club 'happy to sanction' a move

Liverpool are still on the hunt for Jurgen Klopp’s replacement as the end of the 2023/24 season rapidly approaches. The German boss announced back in January that he would be leaving the club this summer, and now there are just a handful of games left before he bids an emotional farewell to Anfield.

Over the last few months, the Reds have been lining up and interviewing potential candidates to step into Klopp’s shoes. Their main target was former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso but the 42-year-old has confirmed he will be staying at Bayer Leverkusen for at least the upcoming season, having guided them to their first Bundesliga title in dominant fashion.

With Alonso off the table, other names have appeared on the radar, including Roberto De Zerbi and Rúben Amorim. Even Wolves’ Gary O’Neil has reportedly interviewed for the soon-to-be vacant managerial position.

Paul Joyce of the Times has reported that Feyenoord manager Arne Slot has ‘emerged as a leading candidate’ for the Reds and further updates have since dropped following their keen interest.

According to new reports, Liverpool will need to cough up a fee of £8.59 million to strike a deal with Feyenoord. The Dutch giants, who won the KNVB Cup last weekend, are said to be ‘happy to sanction’ Slot’s departure at the end of the season, but they are firm on their €10million (£8.59m) asking price.

Slot joined Feyenoord in 2021 and reached the inaugural UEFA Europa Conference League final, but fell agonisingly short to Roma. The 45-year-old then guided his team to their first Eredivisie title in six years during the 2022/23 season.

Feyenoord are allegedly ‘growing increasingly frustrated’ with Slot’s agent, Rafaela Pimenta, who is ‘constantly offering him to other clubs’. If Slot does leave, he is likely to take his right-hand man Sipke Hulshoff with him wherever he goes. As things stand though, no concrete talks have been held between Liverpool, Slot and Feyenoord.