In a major development, Liverpool Football Club is reportedly one step closer to securing Arne Slot as their new manager at Anfield. Trusted sources have confirmed that the Premier League club has reached an agreement with Dutch side Feyenoord for the highly-rated coach.

Arne Slot, 45, expressed his keenness to move to Liverpool after being identified as the preferred candidate to succeed Jurgen Klopp, who will be stepping down at the end of the season after an impressive 8½ years in charge. The two clubs have successfully negotiated a compensation deal for Slot, who still has two years remaining on his contract with Feyenoord.

Feyenoord had initially held out for a £9 million ($11.25m) deal in return for Slot's services. While the exact figure has not been publicly disclosed, it is understood that a settlement has been reached, granting Liverpool the freedom to proceed with negotiations for a contract with the Dutch coach.

Liverpool initiated talks with Feyenoord on Wednesday for Slot, who had signed a three-year contract last year after leading the Rotterdam-based club to victory in the Eredivisie title. The decision to commit his future to Feyenoord saw Slot turn down offers from Leeds United and Tottenham Hotspur.

Speaking to ESPN Netherlands ahead of Feyenoord's Eredivisie game against Go Ahead Eagles on Thursday, Slot confirmed his desire to seize the opportunity to move to the Premier League with Liverpool. He stated, "The only thing I can say about it is that the clubs are in negotiations. And then you sit in the waiting room and wait for what will come out. It seems clear to me that I would like to go to Liverpool. Now I'm waiting to see whether the clubs reach an agreement. I'm very confident in that."

Arne Slot emerged as the front-runner for the Liverpool managerial position following Xabi Alonso's decision to stay at Bayer Leverkusen and a perceived decrease in the club's interest in Sporting CP coach Rúben Amorim.

Jurgen Klopp, when asked about his potential successor, spoke highly of Arne Slot during a news conference on Friday. He praised the way Slot's team plays football and described him as a good person. While Klopp admitted to not having personal acquaintance with Slot, he expressed his optimism about the coach's potential impact at the club, stating, "Good coach, good guy -- looking forward for the club if he is the solution."

Liverpool fans eagerly await further updates as negotiations continue, and excitement builds over the potential appointment of Arne Slot as their new manager, marking a new era at Anfield.