Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has said that Arne Slot would be a good fit to replace Jurgen Klopp as head coach of the Merseyside giants at the end of the campaign.
Klopp will stand down as manager of the Reds this summer, and it is understood that Slot has emerged as the club's leading choice to step into the role in the coming months.
Liverpool are now believed to be in direct talks with Feyenoord over the Dutch outfit's manager, with a compensation package of around £9m potentially being agreed between the two clubs.
After Wednesday's 2-0 loss to Everton in the Merseyside derby, which seriously dented Liverpool's Premier League title hopes, Van Dijk was asked about Slot's potential arrival at Anfield.
The centre-back said that the 45-year-old's "philosophy" would make him a good fit for the club.
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Virgil van Dijk talks-up potential Arne Slot arrival at Anfield
"I find it hard to answer of course, but I think Arne Slot is perhaps one of the better Dutch coaches at this moment," Van Dijk told Viaplay.
"I think the way of playing and the philosophy he has, that he could be a Liverpool coach. Only I think from what I read and hear is that it's still far from being completed. We shall see."
Sporting Lisbon head coach Ruben Amorim had seemingly been the favourite to replace Klopp, but Slot now appears to be in the driving seat when it comes to the managerial role at Anfield.
Liverpool won the EFL Cup earlier this season, but they were knocked out of the FA Cup and Europa League by Manchester United and Atalanta BC respectively, while they have lost two of their last three league games.
The Reds remain second in the table, but they are three points behind leaders Arsenal and just one ahead of third-placed Manchester City, who have two games in hand.
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Virgil van Dijk critical of side after loss at Everton
"Very disappointed in so many ways," Van Dijk told Sky Sports News after the 2-0 loss at Everton. "I think everyone has to look in the mirror, look at their own performance and if they really gave everything. Do they really want to win the league?
"We are fighting, there are games after tonight, but play like we did overall in the game like today... not winning challenges and giving the ref an opportunity to give a free-kick like he did many times, then you have no chance to win a title.
"It's a tough one and we need to do much better against a side that's [fighting] relegation. We had clear-cut chances in the first half that we should have scored but we weren't good enough and it starts with the fight. We can't let the season go out like this."
Liverpool will be bidding to recover from the disappointment of the Merseyside derby when they head to West Ham United in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon.
Klopp's final three matches before his departure as head coach will then come against Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Matt Law
