Arne Slot has sought to pay compliments to Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes after Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah extended their contracts.
Hughes was announced as the club’s new sporting director last March, officially helping to oversee a significant period of transition for the club after Jurgen Klopp‘s exit.
He played a significant role in appointing Slot before Federico Chiesa and Giorgi Mamardashvili – who will arrive this summer – were signed.
It fell below expectations, and after months of little progress on contracts he was facing plenty of criticism, but news of two new contracts has seen Slot shine a spotlight on the 45-year-old.
Speaking to the press on Friday, Slot said of Hughes, via the Echo: “First, by bringing these contracts over the line, Richard deserves credit for that, and lots of credit.
“Because people have spoken for eight or nine months that so many things were not done right by us.
“In the end, we got what we wanted and Mo had, in most situations, when you simply look at his numbers, his best season so far in his history at Liverpool.
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“And for Virgil, it’s difficult to judge this on numbers, but I think he’s having a great, great season as well.
“Apart from him extending these two contracts, what I like so much about him is that I can do my job and he always supports me in the best possible way.
“Mostly people judge the sports director on the signings he brings in, I also like to judge him on how he lets me work over here, and giving me the confidence and always being positive, and creating a way of working which is ideal for every manager.
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“So I would like to give him more compliments for that, than for the extending of the contracts, which I really like as well that he did that.”
Trent Alexander-Arnold remains unsigned and Slot was not forthcoming on any new updates regarding his future ahead of his potential return at Leicester, simply saying he “shows his commitment.”
‘I’m happy that I’m not involved in negotiations’
Appointed as a head coach, Slot’s involvement in transfer discussions and negotiations is far removed from what Liverpool had with Klopp, who had his hand in everything.
The Dutchman prefers this way of operating, though, as he told Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher – but that is not to say he has no involvement.
“The football side of things, we talk about this on a daily basis, Richard and me,” Slot explained.
“I’ve always worked with a sports director. As it is now and as it was in the past when I worked with different sports directors, they want to know my opinion.
“They want to know what I want next season, how I look at certain players. So there’s constant involvement between me and Richard about how we want to create the squad for next season.
“But when it comes to the negotiation part, that’s all about Richard, FSG, Michael Edwards. And I’m happy that I’m not involved in that part.”
