'It's fantastic' - Erik ten Hag discusses Arne Slot's Liverpool move | OneFootball

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag has praised compatriot Arne Slot ahead of his expected move to Liverpool.

Slot recently revealed he was in talks with the Reds over becoming their new head coach, replacing club legend Jurgen Klopp in the Anfield dugout.

Reports from England and the Netherlands claim a deal has been ironed out between Liverpool, Slot and his current club Feyenoord, with official announcements to come in the near future.

In an interview with Viaplay NL, Ten Hag was asked about his fellow Dutchman heading to the Premier League this summer.

"It's fantastic for him," Ten Hag said of Slot. "It's confirmation and recognition of his qualities. It's fantastic for Dutch football too."

When asked if he had sent any congratulatory messages to Slot, Ten Hag simply replied: "No."

Slot and Ten Hag were rivals in the Eredivisie / ANP/GettyImages

In a press conference on Friday, Slot - who stressed he would not talk further about the Liverpool job until an announcement from the club is made - was asked whether it was too soon to congratulate him.

"You can always congratulate me, but it is most appropriate to do so at the end of the season when it is really official," he said.

Across spells with AZ Alkmaar and Feyenoord, Slot faced Ten Hag's Ajax four times as a manager, with each manager picking up two wins apiece. Interestingly, Slot's AZ did the double over Ajax in the 2019/20 season, but Feyenoord were beaten twice in 'De Klassieker' during Ten Hag's final year in Amsterdam prior to joining United in the summer of 2022.

Ten Hag may not be around to renew rivalries with Slot in England amid increasing speculation over his future at United. He has, however, played down a return to Ajax this summer.