Despite Dirk Kuyt being touted as a potential option for Liverpool in their vacant assistant coach role, the former striker has been ruled out of the running.
Upon the news of John Heitinga‘s departure to Ajax, Kuyt was among the first names mentioned as a possible successor.
Expected to leave Belgian club Beerschot upon their relegation, the 44-year-old was viewed as an obvious candidate due to his connection with both Liverpool and Arne Slot.
But speaking to the KieftJansenEgmondGijp podcast, Kuyt’s agent has explained that even though he “would have loved” to fill the role, Slot’s next assistant “will be someone else.”
“It will be a different assistant manager,” Rob Jansen said, per Sportnieuws.nl.
“That would have been great for him [but] Liverpool’s assistant will be someone else.
“It would have been great for Dirk. He would have loved to go to Liverpool, assistant there is of course a serious level.”
Jensen’s comments suggest Liverpool have already decided on their next appointment, with a clear favourite being Dutch-Croatian coach Marino Pusic.
Pusic worked alongside Slot for four years at AZ Alkmaar and then Feyenoord before leaving to take over as head coach of Shakhtar Donetsk in 2023.
But after two seasons at Shakhtar and a third-placed finish in the campaign just gone – the first time in four seasons the Ukrainian side failed to win the league – the 53-year-old departed at the end of May.
While it is a simple case of putting two and two together, it stands to reason that Slot would seek to add Pusic to his staff, having previously attempted to convince him to follow him to Liverpool last summer.
Kuyt, who made 285 appearances for Liverpool over six seasons, has already offered his services as a coach at least once before, having expressed a desire to support Steven Gerrard when he was considered in the running to replace Jurgen Klopp.
Obviously that never transpired and Slot’s success is proving that to be the correct decision, but the former striker’s affinity to the club is clear.
Gerrard himself has also been mentioned as a possible option to replace Heitinga, though there is no suggestion of substance to links.
Meanwhile, Pepijn Lijnders‘ appointment as Pep Guardiola’s new assistant at Man City has now been confirmed.
