Arne Slot speaks out about Leeds United speculation after straight after Feyenoord match
Feyenoord manager Arne Slot has spoken out about the Leeds United managerial links stating he hasn’t received any contact from the club about replacing Jesse Marsch at Elland Road.
The Whites are on the hunt for a new manager following the sacking of Marsch on Monday [6 February] and Slott, 44, is reportedly on the radar of the Leeds United hierarchy [Dick Voormekaar Podcast, 7 February] according to Dutch reports.
However, journalist Simon Jones, writing in the Daily Mail today [9 February, pg 77] reported that the Whites did indeed make contact with the talented coach but his contract at the De Kuip Stadium remains “watertight” and that he wished to continue with Feyenoord in their impressive title chase.
And speaking to Dutch media outlet Ad.nl [9 February] after the Feyenoord 4-4 KNVB cup thriller against NEC Nijmegen, Slot responded to questions about Leeds United’s reported interest.
He said: “Yes, I have read it on the well-known football site, but I have not seen anything on my phone yet. At least, not in my messages yet so… What if they do call? Yes, suppose that, I can’t do much with that. I think we should be especially happy with this victory.”
Uncertainty
It is increasingly unlikely that Slot will choose to jump ship from a title challenge in Holland to a relegation battle in the Premier League.
Feyenoord are enjoying a superb campaign so far, sitting two points clear at the top of the Dutch top-flight table and aiming to win their first Eredivisie title since 2017. It simply wouldn’t make sense for Slot to make such a decision to leave the Dutch giants at such a crucial stage in their campaign.
But having been rejected by Carlos Corberan, and reportedly rejected by Rayo Vallecano manager Andoni Iraola and Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou, the Leeds United board faces managerial uncertainty regarding their next appointment.
Of course, this is a decision the Whites simply can’t afford to take lightly as their Premier League status crucially depends on who they choose to come in and steady a rocky ship.
In other Leeds United news, click here to see breaking, around-the-clock updates on Leeds’ search for a new manager in our interactive live blog.