Feyenoord goalkeeping coach Jyri Nieminen has played down the likelihood of him joining Arne Slot at Liverpool this summer.
The Reds are on the hunt for a new goalkeeping coach after John Achterberg and Jack Robinson both joined Jurgen Klopp in departing at the end of last season.
And, as previously reported by This Is Anfield, Nieminen was under consideration to join Claudio Taffarel in coaching the club’s goalkeepers next term.
However, the 36-year-old has now seemingly ruled out that possibility, insisting he is more likely to stay at current club Feyenoord.
Speaking to the Finnish magazine, Apu, he said: “The Liverpool thing was on, and of course I was thinking about it.
“With a very high probability, I will continue with Feyenoord next season as well. The situation will change if it changes.”
With the arrival of Nieminen now looking unlikely, big question remarks remain over the make-up of Slot’s staff for next season.
The Dutchman is known to be bringing assistant Sipke Hulshoff with him, while Ruben Peeters will serve as the club’s new first team lead physical performance coach.
However, reports in the Netherlands have suggested that another member of Slot’s team, coach and analyst Etienne Reijnen, is struggling to secure a work permit.
The Reds are running out of time to put a backroom staff in place before pre-season kicks off in early July.
Appointments already made
Of course, we know Slot will become the new head coach, but Liverpool have also recruited a first team lead physical performance coach.
Peeters is the man taking on the role, with this being confirmed by his agency. His job appears to have some overlap between the roles performed by Andreas Kornmayer and Andreas Schlumberger prior to their departures this summer.
Kornmayer served as head of fitness and conditioning, while Schlumberger’s role was head of recovery and performance.
The Reds need to make further backroom changes this summer, and have advertised a number of vacancies at the AXA Training Centre.
That includes a first-team physiotherapist, as well as a physical performance coach focused on strength and conditioning.