I've played under Erik ten Hag and Arne Slot - and one manager had major flaw

Dutch footballer Mark Diemers, who has played under both Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag and soon-to-be Liverpool boss Arne Slot, has given his verdict on the two coaches.

It comes at a time when United's rivals are somewhat stepping into the unknown, replacing long-time boss Jurgen Klopp. Liverpool and Feyenoord have agreed on a £9.4million compensation fee, clearing the path for Slot to join the club. The decision is a daring one from the Merseyside club, considering the 45-year-old has never managed outside of the Netherlands.

However, Diemers' personal experience of working with Slot suggests promising times could be ahead for Liverpool. He spent two years with Slot at Feyenoord and the midfielder also spent a year playing under United boss Ten Hag at Utrecht, reports the Express.

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When asked by ESPN Netherlands about the best manager he had worked with, Diemers responded: "I choose Arne Slot. I can only talk from my time. 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. But that was already six or seven years ago. I thought Slot was a lot stronger on a human level.

"Look at what kind of clubs [Ten Hag] has worked at, so he must also have qualities on a human level. I still have contact with him via WhatsApp. Then he also comes across as very friendly to me. He will undoubtedly have grown on a human level as well."

While Slot is gearing up for his first venture into English football, Ten Hag is nearing the conclusion of his second season in charge at United. Following a less-than-stellar season, his position seems precarious, despite reaching the FA Cup final, following Sir Jim Ratcliffe's recent entry into the Old Trafford boardroom.

In his first year with United, Ten Hag secured a Carabao Cup victory and led the team to a third-place finish in the Premier League. Slot will aim to mirror such an impact at Anfield in his debut season, though Ten Hag has struggled to build on his early success.

Last season saw Slot guide Feyenoord to an Eredivisie championship and his side also clinched the KNVB Cup last weekend. However, Slot's relatively short managerial career, which began with AZ Alkmaar in 2019, poses a risk for Liverpool due to his inexperience.