Feyenoord boss Arne Slot admits he WILL ‘open the message’ if he is contacted by Leeds

Feyenoord boss Arne Slot says he will ‘open the message’ if he is contacted by Leeds – but the Dutch club insist they would rebuff any approach.

Leeds director of football Victor Orta was spotted at Manchester Airport on Thursday morning amid claims he was flying to the Netherlands to speak to Slot.

The 44-year-old is understood to be the new frontrunner for the vacant Whites hotseat after Rayo Vallecano’s Andoni Iraola and West Brom’s Carlos Corberan both turned them down.

Asked about Leeds’ interest on Wednesday night, Slot said: ‘I have not heard anything. I have read it (the rumours), but I haven’t seen anything on my phone yet.

‘What will I do when a message comes in from Leeds? Open the message.’

Leeds’ director Victor Orta was spotted in an airport ahead of a rumoured meeting with Slot

However, Feyenoord’s supremo Te Kloese told Dutch journalists Slot is ‘not for sale’ and added: ‘I have not heard anything from Leeds, neither officially nor unofficially.

‘I also know Leeds as a correct club, so I don’t believe they are playing this behind our backs. Last summer the transfer of Luis Sinisterra also went in a very neat, correct way.’

Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani had hoped to appoint a new boss in time for Sunday’s match with Manchester. But asked by fans for an update, he wrote on Twitter in a now-deleted post: ‘We keep praying and making interviews.’

Under-21s boss Michael Skubala is set to take charge of Leeds again for Sunday’s visit of Manchester United after owner Andrea Radrizzani confirmed their quest to find a new manager has been delayed.

Asked by a fan on Twitter if they would be announcing Jesse Marsch’s replacement by the weekend, the Italian replied: ‘After the weekend’.

WHO IS ARNE SLOT?

The last manager to win the Eredivisie title will be in the dugout at Leeds on Sunday – and he could yet be joined by the boss currently leading the way in Holland.

Erik ten Hag takes his Manchester United side to Leeds this weekend for their second clash in the space of five days. And there is a chance the former Ajax chief will be facing a familiar foe in Arne Slot, whose Feyenoord side are top of the Dutch league.

While Slot lost out on the title to Ten Hag last season, he actually pipped him to the Eredivisie Manager of the Year award. And according to a player who has worked under both bosses, the 44-year-old is even better than the man who has turned things around at Old Trafford this term.

‘I choose Arne Slot,’ said midfielder Mark Diemers when asked to pick between the two Dutch coaches. ‘I found Ten Hag insanely good tactically, so were his training sessions.

‘I just didn’t think he was very good at that time, on a human level. I thought Slot was a lot stronger on a human level.’ 

The 44-year-old has an impressive 60 per cent win rate as the Feyenoord manager

Slot began his senior managerial career at AZ Alkmaar in July 2019 and almost led them to the Eredivisie title in his first season in charge, missing out on goal difference to Ten Hag’s Ajax after the campaign was cut shot by the Covid pandemic.

He left AZ prematurely in December 2020 after agreeing a deal to move to Feyenoord for the start of the 2021-22 campaign. 

But he further enhanced his credentials with his new club last season, taking them to the final of the Europa Conference League, where they lost to Jose Mourinho’s Roma, and finishing third in the league.

This season, with Ten Hag out of the picture at Ajax, Slot has Feyenoord sitting pretty at the top of the Eredivisie in their search for a first title in six years.

Slot’s playing style is similar to that of former managers Marcelo Bielsa and Jesse Marsch 

But it is not just his win record that has brought him to the attention of Leeds chiefs. Slot’s playing style also chimes with what the Elland Road board are after based on their previous two appointments of the gung-ho Marcelo Bielsa and Jesse Marsch.

Speaking about his Feyenoord team last season, Slot said: ‘We are an attack-minded team that likes to have a lot of the ball and play with a lot of intensity.

‘When we don’t have the ball, we want to win it back as quickly as possible by being aggressive and pressing to win back possession.’

Leeds have strong links with Feyenoord having signed Crysencio Summerville and Luis Sinisterra from them in the last three years. It could be that the Premier League club poach their manager next.