The story of what happened between Tottenham and Arne Slot before he became Liverpool manager

Liverpool fans could not have expected anything close to the stunning level of performance Arne Slot has already coached into his side.

The Dutchman arrived on Merseyside tasked with replacing a managerial juggernaut in Jurgen Klopp – arguably the greatest Liverpool manager of the 21st century – having only previously won the Eredivisie title and one KNVB Cup.

However – to the surprise of many – the man from Bergentheim has made English football look simple, overseeing 18 wins and a draw from his first 20 games in charge to put Liverpool top of both the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
1	LiverpoolLiverpool	13	11	1	1	26	8	18	34
2	ArsenalArsenal	13	7	4	2	26	14	12	25
3	ChelseaChelsea	13	7	4	2	26	14	12	25
4	BrightonBrighton	13	6	5	2	22	17	5	23
5	Man CityManchester City	13	7	2	4	22	19	3	23
6	Nottm ForestNottingham Forest	13	6	4	3	16	13	3	22
7	TottenhamTottenham	13	6	2	5	28	14	14	20

While Liverpool fans are obviously loving life under Arne Slot this season, the 46-year-old’s efforts at Anfield must be hurting Tottenham supporters after what happened in 2023.

Tottenham tried – but failed – to hire Arne Slot

Back in the summer of 2023 as Spurs looked to find a long-term replacement for Antonio Conte, extensive talks were held with Slot in May.

The Dutchman had just guided Feyenoord to the Eredivisie title – finishing seven points ahead of PSV Eindhoven – which alerted Daniel Levy to his talents.

A story from The Athletic even claimed that Feyenoord felt resigned to losing Slot – who idolises Dennis Bergkamp – after Tottenham held discussions, and a move to N17 simply felt like a mere matter of time.

However, the man now thriving at Liverpool issued a sudden statement announcing his desire to stay in the Netherlands, dramatically pouring cold water on speculation as he said: “Although I am thankful, my wish is to stay at Feyenoord and continue working on what we created last year.”

Spurs could not agree compensation package with Feyenoord

The Guardian provide further information on this saga, claiming that Spurs were unable to agree a compensation package with Feyenoord – which caused the deal to break down.

Slot – who Micah Richards praised – did not have a fixed release clause in his contract at Feyenoord, meaning it was down to Levy to negotiate a fee which satisfied all parties.

Ultimately, that agreement was never found, and Tottenham opted to hire Ange Postecoglou just a month later in June 2023.

Now – despite some impressive performances under the Australian – Spurs fans will undoubtedly be wondering what could have been with Slot at the helm in N17.