Jurgen Klopp famously invited Liverpool fans to chant the name of Arne Slot after his final game as Reds manager two years ago, but Andoni Iraola’s two immediate predecessors in the Anfield dugout could conceivably be in opposition to each other in the coming months.
The 59-year-old is reportedly set to become the next head coach of Germany following the resignation of Julian Nagelsmann after their swift exit from the World Cup (Fabrizio Romano), which’d see him end a two-year sabbatical from management.
His Dutch counterpart has been out of work since his sacking by LFC at the end of May, although he too is seemingly in line to get back into the coalface on the international stage.
Similar to Germany, Netherlands bowed out of the World Cup in the round of 32 after losing on penalties and are without a head coach at present, with Ronald Koeman stepping down after their elimination by Morocco.
On Monday, Sky Deutschland reporter Florian Plettenberg took to X to reveal that Slot is in the frame to replace the former Everton boss in the main role with his country.
The journalist posted: ‘Understand Arne Slot is one of the candidates to become the new Netherlands head coach following Ronald Koeman’s resignation. Other candidates are also being considered, but Slot is on the shortlist. Initial talks have already taken place.’
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With Klopp seemingly set to become the next Germany boss, and his successor at Liverpool potentially taking charge of the Oranje, there’s a more than plausible chance that the two men could be in direct opposition to one another in the next few months.
That’s because their respective homelands have been drawn in the same UEFA Nations League group, with the two teams facing each other on 24 September in Amsterdam and 16 November (German venue TBC).
If Slot is hired as the next head coach of Netherlands, it could see him reunite with four players with whom he worked at Anfield in Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo, Ryan Gravenberch and Jeremie Frimpong, although the former has been tipped to retire from international football after the World Cup.
Thr 47-year-old’s reign at Liverpool may have ended on a low ebb after a dismal 2025/26 season in which the Reds finished a lowly fifth, but he left Merseyside with an appreciation from the fans for delivering Premier League glory the previous year.
Having also won the Eredivisie with Feyenoord, Slot has a fine CV which should see a few clubs or national teams consider him as a prospective appointment if they’ve a vacancy to fill.
If he and Klopp are to be made head coaches of their respective nations, the prospect of them facing each other twice in the autumn would be most compelling for LFC supporters, especially with several members of Iraola’s current squad set to be involved on the pitch as well.
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