Both coaches arrive at Anfield with a wealth of experience
Liverpool boss Arne Slot has finalised two key additions to his backroom staff, bringing in compatriot Giovanni van Bronckhorst and reappointing former goalkeeping coach Xavi Valero.
Van Bronckhorst, a Champions League winner as a player and a decorated manager in his own right, will join Liverpool’s technical staff this summer. He will not formally take the title of assistant manager, as that remains with Slot’s long-time ally Sipke Hulshoff, but he is expected to be a major influence within the new regime.
The former Netherlands captain’s arrival follows the departure of John Heitinga, who left the club to take up the head coach role at Ajax.
As a player, Van Bronckhorst graced some of Europe’s biggest stages with Feyenoord, Rangers, Arsenal and Barcelona, and earned over 100 caps for the Netherlands. As a coach, he has lifted silverware in both the Netherlands and Scotland, guiding Feyenoord to their first Eredivisie title in nearly two decades in 2017, and taking Rangers to the Europa League final in 2022.
His last managerial job at Turkish side Besiktas ended in late 2024, and after time spent working within the City Football Group, including a period under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, he joins Slot’s project at Anfield.
Also rejoining the fold is Xavi Valero, who returns as head of first-team goalkeeping coaching. Valero’s appointment is something of a homecoming. The Spaniard first arrived at Anfield in 2007 under Rafael Benitez and was widely credited with helping fine-tune the performances of Pepe Reina during a high point in the club’s modern era.
He has since followed Benitez across a string of elite clubs, including Inter Milan, Napoli, Chelsea, and Real Madrid, and spent the last seven seasons at West Ham United.
Valero is expected to oversee the development of Liverpool’s goalkeeping talent, particularly, Giorgi Mamardashvili, who joined this summer from Valencia.
