Liverpool confirm new coaching staff arrivals and departures

Former Netherlands international and captain Giovanni van Bronckhorst joins the Premier League champions in the position of assistant coach, subject to receiving a visa.

Van Bronckhorst won a host of major honours during a playing career that included spells with Feyenoord, Glasgow Rangers, Arsenal and Barcelona, and since retiring as a player in 2010 after reaching the World Cup final that year with his country, he has moved into the dugout, starting out in an assistant role at Feyenoord.

He advanced to take charge of the Eredivisie club himself from 2015 to 2019, and his time at the helm of Feyenoord featured a Dutch league title in 2016-17 and two KNVB Beker successes.

Van Bronckhorst subsequently took the reins at Guangzhou R&F in China, then Rangers – who he led to a Scottish Cup victory and the Europa League final in 2021-22 – and most recently Besiktas, departing the Turkish outfit in late 2024.

Meanwhile, Xavi Valero returns to Liverpool as the new head of first-team goalkeeper coaching, moving back to Merseyside after spending the past seven years with West Ham United.

The Spaniard first joined the Reds under Rafael Benitez in 2007 and would remain alongside his compatriot as he subsequently took charge of Internazionale, Chelsea, Napoli and Real Madrid.

After a spell with Hebei China Fortune, Valero linked up with West Ham during the summer of 2018.

Bidding farewell to the Reds’ goalkeeping department ahead of the next campaign are both Fabian Otte and Claudio Taffarel.

Otte leaves the club after one season as a member of Slot’s staff, one in which he contributed to Liverpool’s Premier League success as head of first-team goalkeeper coaching.

The German joined the Reds last summer, having built up experience in a number of roles, including spells with the USA national team, Burnley and Borussia Monchengladbach.

Brazil legend and World Cup winner Taffarel calls time on an association with Liverpool that began when he took up a coaching opportunity at the AXA Training Centre in 2021.

Initially working under Jürgen Klopp and then for a single campaign with Slot last term, Taffarel supported the senior squad’s stoppers during a period that has included trophy joy in the Carabao Cup (twice), Emirates FA Cup and Premier League.

Everyone at LFC thanks Fabian and Claudio for their contributions and wishes them the best for the future.