(Photo : Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Liverpool did not wait for the Premier League offseason to get old as they immediately named a successor to Jurgen Klopp.
Arne Slot takes his place, and he will have his hands full with how Klopp changed the club's culture.
The former Feyenoord manager will be joined by his assistant Sipke Hulshoff, head of performance Ruben Peeters, and analyst Etienne Reijnen.
Klopp expressed his plan to leave the club in January this year.
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He will go down as one of, if not the best, manager the Reds have seen in its history.
He arrived in Anfield in 2015 and will walk away with nine trophies, including one Champions League and one Premier League.
Klopp took the Reds to another level, and fans will expect more from whoever will succeed him.
Slot will be under intense scrutiny as part of a historic and major club. It looks like he is ready for the challenge.
"It is certainly not an easy decision to close the door behind you at a club where you have experienced so many wonderful moments and worked successfully with so many wonderful people," he said in his farewell message to his former club, Feyenoord.
"But as a sportsman, an opportunity to become a head coach in the Premier League, at one of the biggest clubs in the world, is difficult to ignore."
"Ready" is a word that anybody can easily drop.
The question is, does he have the wares to back it up?
Arne Slot's CV reflects Liverpool's identity
Before success with Klopp, Liverpool experienced many struggles, which were mostly due to their inability to sign top players.
His style is not a departure from the style of the German manager.
He managed Feyenoord under a tight budget compared to other Dutch clubs.
Despite that, Slot was able to steer The Pride of South to two trophies in just three seasons.
They won the Eredivisie last year and the KNVB Cup this season.
The team will compete in the Champions League next season after finishing as runner-up to Dutch giants PSV.
Slot's coaching style is known for communicating skills and innovation while emphasizing relationships with players.
On the field, he prefers an attack-minded system and players who can adjust on the fly-he wants attackers who can defend, while the full-backs should be able to work as midfielders.
Liverpool players' reaction to new appointment
Dutch defender and Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk was among the first to get wind of the appointment and immediately supported his fellow Dutchman.
He said he would be there to help him learn the ropes about the club and English football.
However, he recognized that Slot would face different challenges in England, especially with a historic club like Liverpool.
"He probably knows already but everyone knows our expectations are always huge and it is about managing that in the right way and getting the maximum out of all of our players," van Dijk said.
"It starts with having a good break and then we are ready to go again."
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