Etienne Reijnen Link Adds Fresh Focus to Arne Slot’s Liverpool Staff

Etienne Reijnen’s potential move to Liverpool became one of the more intriguing off pitch topics on Anfield Index’s ‘Media Matters’, as Dave Davis and David Lynch discussed the broader uncertainty around Arne Slot, his staff and the club’s summer reset.

The conversation came after Liverpool’s 3-2 defeat away to Manchester United, a result that sharpened questions about standards, tactics, intensity and decision making. Much of the podcast naturally focused on the players and Slot’s future, but Davis also raised the prospect of changes behind the scenes.

He referenced reports from Holland suggesting that Giovanni van Bronckhorst is being sought by Feyenoord as technical director, before turning to Liverpool’s possible coaching addition. Davis said “the stories are in Holland that Arne Slot wants to add Etienne Reijnen,” noting that Slot could not bring him in originally because of work permit issues.

For Liverpool, this is not a minor staffing detail. If Slot remains in charge, the make up of his coaching team could become an important part of any attempt to fix the problems that have damaged this season.

Lynch sees a sense of inevitability

Davis framed the situation plainly, saying “it kind of feels there’s a sense of inevitability if Arne Slot stays this will happen.”

Lynch agreed that the move would make sense. “Yeah, I would think so,” he said, before reflecting on Slot’s comments when asked about possible coaching changes.

“I think it was interesting that he kind of like you say he didn’t give too much away,” Lynch said. But he also noted that Slot “didn’t kind of completely shoot it down at all either.”

That was the key point. Slot did not confirm the move, but according to Lynch, he also left enough space for the idea to remain live. Lynch added that Slot acknowledged “Liverpool are shorter coach,” which strengthened the sense that an addition to the staff is possible.

Reijnen link fits Liverpool’s needs

Lynch then explained why Reijnen’s name keeps coming up. “With Etienne Reijnen being linked, they wanted him previously,” he said. “He’s highly-rated and he’s about to finish his A licence so would be able to get a work permit.”

That detail is important because it connects this summer’s story with the original 2024 situation. Slot tried to bring Reijnen with him when he first arrived at Liverpool, but work permit issues prevented it. Now, if those obstacles are removed, the move could be revisited.

Lynch’s reading was that the pieces fit. “It kind of makes sense for all parties, doesn’t it, for him to come in,” he said.

That phrasing matters. This was not presented as a dramatic overhaul, but as a logical addition. Liverpool are short on coaching staff, Slot knows Reijnen, and the club have already shown interest in bringing him in before.

Set pieces could be part of the brief

There was also a specific football angle. Davis wondered whether part of Reijnen’s responsibilities could involve set pieces, a recurring concern in Liverpool’s season.

“I wonder whether part of his responsibilities will be set pieces as well,” Davis said.

That question sits neatly within the wider critique of Liverpool under Slot. Earlier in the podcast, Lynch spoke about a “feeling that there’s not enough attention paid to details,” and referenced Liverpool being “completely caught out by the set pieces” at the start of the season.

If Reijnen arrives, supporters will naturally ask what practical difference he can make. Liverpool have not simply struggled because of personnel. They have often looked short of organisation, clarity and repeatable patterns. A trusted coach from Slot’s previous circle could help address that, but it would also increase the sense that next season must show tangible improvement.

Summer move looks increasingly possible

Lynch was careful not to overstate what Liverpool have officially confirmed. “That’s as far as Liverpool will go in acknowledging it,” he said, when discussing Reijnen as one of the coaches under consideration.

Yet his own expectation was clear. “I would maybe go further and say you would be a little bit surprised if he doesn’t come in in the end,” Lynch said.

He then added: “I think we’ll be seeing him come to Liverpool, to be honest.”

For Arne Slot, that could be significant. If Liverpool decide to keep him in post, as Lynch suggested reports indicate they are “very much minded” to do, then strengthening the coaching staff becomes part of the club’s response to a poor campaign.

Reijnen’s possible arrival would not answer every question around Liverpool. It would not resolve the debate about Slot’s future, squad structure or standards on its own. But as Davis and Lynch made clear on Media Matters, it feels like one of the more likely steps in a summer where Liverpool need to show they have learned from a season that has gone badly wrong.