Arne Slot wants to take the Liverpool job and hopes an agreement can be reached with Feyenoord to allow him to succeed Jurgen Klopp at Anfield.
The 45-year-old Dutch coach has emerged as a leading candidate to take over from Klopp, who will leave the Reds at the end of the season.
Feyenoord, though, do not want to lose their manager and are expected to demand significant compensation for the man who guided them to a first Eredivisie title in six years last season.
Speaking ahead of Feyenoord’s match at Go Ahead Eagles on Thursday night, Slot told ESPN: “The only thing I can say about it is that the clubs are in negotiations – and then you sit in the waiting room and wait for what will come out.
“It seems clear to me that I would like to go to Liverpool.
“Now I am waiting to see whether the clubs reach an agreement. I have every confidence in that.”
Arne Slot over uitduel in Deventer:
‘We zullen enkele dagen na het winnen van een prijs ook op mentaal vlak getest worden’#gaefey
— Feyenoord Rotterdam (@Feyenoord) April 24, 2024
Slot added: “The clubs have to do their job and then I am waiting, and as the ‘main character’ I have to respect that.
“It will undoubtedly become clear in the coming days.”
Feyenoord – second in the Eredivisie table, with PSV Eindhoven clear at the top – won the Dutch Cup at the weekend and last summer extended Slot’s contract until 2026.
As such, Liverpool can expect Feyenoord to take a tough stance in the negotiations, with Slot likely to want to take some of his backroom staff with him to the Premier League.
It has been reported that Liverpool will have to pay “considerably more than 10 million euros” if they are to land their man.
Slot has turned down previous offers to work in the Premier League, the Dutchman opting not to take on the Leeds job after they sacked Jesse Marsch in February last year.
It has also been reported Slot ruled himself out of the running for the vacancy at Tottenham before Ange Postecoglou was appointed last summer.
Michael Edwards – who recently returned to the fold as the chief executive of football for Liverpool’s owners Fenway Sports Group, having previously been the club’s sporting director – and incoming sporting director Richard Hughes have been tasked with the unenviable task of finding Klopp’s replacement.
It is understood Liverpool consider Slot to fit all the criteria set out in their recruitment process, although they are still looking at other contenders.
Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim – also linked with West Ham – and Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi have also been under consideration.