'I spoke to Arne Slot after he was sacked by Liverpool – he showed his true feelings towards FSG'

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Arne Slot was blindsided by his Liverpool sacking but harbours no grudge towards FSG, it has been claimed. The Dutchman was axed last weekend, 12 months on from winning only the club's second title in 35 years after a pitiful defence ended with them stumbling to a fifth-placed finish.

After salvaging Champions League football, Slot looked set to be retained. After the final match of the season, he said he had "every reason to believe" he would still be in charge at the start of next season.

However, less than a week later, Slot was bidding farewell to Anfield after a rollercoaster two years in charge. Dutch journalist Marcel van der Kraan has claimed the day of his sacking was like was "an absolute thunder in a clear blue sky" for Slot.

He told talkSPORT: "I spoke to him briefly on the Sunday as well, and I think he was still recovering from the absolute blow that this was." Van der Kraan added that Slot "wasn't bitter" towards club owners FSG over their change of direction, with Andoni Iraola set to take his place.

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In an open letter to fans in the Liverpool Echo, Slot said winning the Premier League title was "beyond special". He wrote: "The connection we share goes beyond football, beyond European nights under the Anfield lights or the sound of You'll Never Walk Alone being sung from The Kop. You made me feel welcome from the start and helped me on the path. That is something I cherish."

Slot said winning the title was "even more meaningful" because fans were able to share in the celebrations as the 2020 title success came during the pandemic.

Van der Kraan added that Slot could soon return to work in a very different role as the Netherlands' national team boss after the World Cup. The reporter said Slot would be "very much up for that" and that he is "probably the ideal candidate."

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Koeman's contract expires after the World Cup and his future will probably hinge on how the Dutch fare in North America. They have been drawn into Group F with Japan, Sweden and Tunisia.

Meanwhile, Liverpool fans are looking forward to the Iraola era. The former Bournemouth boss arrived on Merseyside on Thursday when he was formally appointed as the club's new boss.

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He has signed a two-year contract, which is his preference rather than a longer-term deal. It is understood Iraola wants to bring assistants Tommy Elphick and Shaun Cooper, analyst Tom Webber and fitness coach Pablo de la Torre with him.

The appointment is in line with the club's desire to move back towards a more aggressive, front-foot, urgent style of football, which they lost during Slot's second season and which ultimately cost him his job.