Feyenoord manager Arne Slot has admitted he turned down Leeds United earlier this year as he didn’t think it was right to leave the Dutch club in the middle of the season.
The Dutch coach has been talking to journalist Kenneth Perez for ESPN about his career in the Netherlands and the growing interest in him from the Premier League.
He’s been earning rave reviews for the work he’s done with Feyenoord this season, leading them to the top of the Eredivisie table ahead of Ajax and PSV Eindhoven while playing an attractive brand of football.
It’s led to increased interest in him from England, with Leeds even pushing hard to get him when they were looking for Jesse Marsch’s replacement earlier this year.
He’s openly admitted to talks with Leeds in interviews since and has now covered the offer again, admitting the timing just wasn’t right for him.
“I think Leeds is a very nice club,” he said.
“The moment in the middle of the season, where you still have so much to play for at Feyenoord, I didn’t think that was a good time to leave for England.
“Then there is also a huge challenge at Feyenoord. It was also much better from a family point of view to stay here for a while.
“The Premier League is of course the number one competition in Europe. Although I also follow developments in Italy with great interest.
“I also think it is very valuable to leave somewhere in a positive way. Giovanni van Bronckhorst, for example, became champion here, but a year later his life no longer looked so nice.”
