"Nobody has to feel sorry for me" – Liverpool boss Arne Slot on being 'completely' switched off during international break

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has hinted that he is always hoping to focus on his personal life during the two-week-long international breaks.

Since replacing Jurgen Klopp in the Reds' dugout, Slot has worked wonders as the Merseyside club's new boss. He has guided his side to 15 wins and just one defeat in 17 games across competitions this season.

Speaking on LFCTV to ex-Reds goalkeeper Sander Westerveld, Slot was asked to shed light on his time away from his current job. The 46-year-old Dutchman replied (h/t Liverpool Echo):

"My family has stayed in Holland. That means if I'm here, 99% of my time is just working. Maybe occasionally play a game of padel with my staff members, so still Liverpool involved! Go home, eat, take the computer out, watch the training session back, prepare for the meeting in the weekend. So if there's a day off, it's always like: 'Hmm, I would have preferred to have a training session!'."

Slot, whose team are atop the Premier League table now, continued:

"The question is if you are becoming better like this because you can also do too much. But for now, it works for me. We play many games, family comes over once in a while. We have our international breaks, and the good thing is that your quality time with your children and with your wife, if you are together, increases."

Slot, who helped Feyenoord lift two trophies from 2021 to 2024, added:

"Nobody has to feel sorry for me. As the Liverpool manager, don't feel sorry for me at all! But private life is different, but still acceptable. And I can even say it's still good. I can switch off really well during those international breaks. I think I need it as well, because I put so much effort in during the weeks when we are playing that, these seven or eight days, I completely switch off."

Liverpool aiming to sign 21-year-old winger

According to L'Equipe, Liverpool are interested in signing Olympique Lyonnais star Rayan Cherki in the future. They are likely to face difficult competition from Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) next year.

Cherki, whose current contract will run out in June 2026, could be offloaded due to Lyon's poor financial situation. His potential sale could help reduce the club's £422 million debt and also save them from relegation.

So far, Cherki has started 74 of his 152 appearances across competitions for Lyon. The 21-year-old ambidextrous forward has found the back of the net 19 times and contributed 28 assists for his boyhood club.