Highly rated Feyenoord manager downplays chances of Liverpool move – Liverpool FC

Feyenoord goalkeeping coach Jyri Nieminen has played down the likelihood of him joining Arne Slot at Liverpool this summer.

The Reds are on the hunt for a new goalkeeping coach after John Achterberg and Jack Robinson both joined Jurgen Klopp on their departures at the end of last season.

And, as previously reported by This Is Anfield, Nieminen was considering joining Claudio Taffarel to coach the club’s goalkeepers next term.

However, the 36-year-old has now ruled out that possibility, insisting he is more likely to stay at current club Feyenoord.

Speaking to Finnish magazine Apu, he said: “The Liverpool thing was on and of course I was thinking about it.

“With a very high probability, I will continue with Feyenoord next season as well. The situation will change if it changes.”

With Nieminen’s arrival now looking unlikely, big question marks remain over the make-up of the Slot staff for next season.

The Dutchman is understood to be bringing assistant Sipke Hulshoff with him, while Ruben Peeters will be the club’s new head fitness coach.

However, reports in Holland have suggested that another member of Slot’s squad, coach and analyst Etienne Reijnen, is struggling to get a work permit.

The Reds are running out of time to put together a backroom staff before pre-season starts in early July.

Appointments already made

Of course, we know that Slot will become the new head coach, but Liverpool have also recruited a head coach of first team physical performance.

Peeters is the man to take on the role, this has been confirmed by his agency. His job appears to have some overlap between the roles played by Andreas Kornmayer and Andreas Schlumberger before their departure this summer.

Kornmayer was head of fitness and conditioning, while Schlumberger’s role was head of recovery and performance.

The Reds need to make more changes at the back this summer and have announced a number of vacancies at the AXA Training Centre.

This includes a first-team physio as well as a physical performance coach focused on strength and conditioning.