Romano reveals ‘done deal’ at Liverpool with Slot ‘determining factor’ in £43m transfer

Arne Slot will be the ‘determining factor’ in Liverpool landing Atalanta midfielder Teun Koopmeiners in the summer transfer window, according to reports.

The Reds are set for a number of big changes over the summer with Jurgen Klopp announcing earlier this year that he will leave Anfield at the end of the season to take a break from football.

Widespread reports have indicated that Feyenoord head coach Slot will become the new Liverpool boss once the season has come to a conclusion later this month.

There have also been reports that some of Klopp’s senior players could follow him out of Anfield in the summer with Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk all linked with moves away.

And there are likely to be a number of additions too with Richard Hughes coming in as the new sporting director, while Michael Edwards has returned as FSG’s CEO of football.

One possible incoming over the summer is Atalanta midfielder Koopmeiners with the Netherlands international impressing for the Serie A side this season.

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And Italian website Tutto Juve insist that Liverpool will battle it out with Juventus for the Dutchman and it is believed that Slot’s arrival at Anfield will be the ‘determining factor’ in the transfer of his compatriot.

The report adds that Liverpool could use Slot to convince Koopmeiners that a move to Merseyside is the right choice, giving the Reds a ‘big advantage’ in the race for sign him.

Atalanta could now settle for a deal worth between €45m (£39m) and €50m (£43m) for Koopmeiners after originally demanding €60m from interested clubs.

Slot has not yet been officially announced as the new Liverpool manager but transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has insisted that it’s a “done deal”.

Romano wrote in his Caught Offside column: “Some Liverpool fans have been eager to know when we’ll get an official announcement on Arne Slot becoming the new manager, but I have no information on this at the moment – it’s up to the clubs to decide the timing of announcements like this.

“Still, rest assured that there’s no news on this – it’s a done deal. It’s all set, as previously reported, with the clubs agreeing on compensation, while the Dutch manager has also agreed his contract with Liverpool.”

Slot should ‘replace’ Salah and Van Dijk at Liverpool

Former PSV Eindhoven winger Rene van der Gijp reckons Slot should attempt to “slowly replace guys like Salah and Van Dijk” when he arrives at Liverpool.

“I think it would be best for Slot to slowly replace guys like Salah and Van Dijk,” Van der Gijp told Vandaag Inside.

“I read that Dortmund would be interested in Van Dijk instead of (Mats) Hummels. Salah should also just leave. A move to the desert makes sense. That would be the best thing for him.

“He has performed incredibly, year in, year out. Now, things are slowly starting to deteriorate. That is not easy. Your ego is affected, (and) you fall down the pecking order.”

More: Liverpool | Arne Slot | Teun Koopmeiners