Arne Slot admits he DIDN'T KNOW who new 'interesting' Richard Hughes-led Liverpool signing was

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has confirmed the club’s new goalkeeping coach is Fabian Otte. 

The German will join after the Copa America, where he is currently working with the United States men’s national team. 

Otte was recruited by the USMNT in January as head of goalkeeping, overseeing coaching pathways for all men’s youth team goalkeepers as well as working in Gregg Berhalter’s first-team set up. 

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He had been expected to stay with the USMNT until the 2026 World Cup but brings an early end to his spell Stateside after his surprise recruitment by Liverpool. 

The 33-year-old had a nomadic playing career, appearing in England for Blyth Spartans at one stage, and also featured in his native Germany, the United States, Netherlands and New Zealand. 

He began his coaching career in women’s football in New Zealand before being recruited by the Hoffenheim under-23s. 

Otte also worked at Burnley as assistant goalkeeping coach under current Everton manager Sean Dyche and at Borussia Monchengladbach. 

He studied at North Carolina State from 2011 to 2013, graduating with a B.S in sports management, focusing on sports marketing and sports business. 

An MLS scouting report from his time at North Carolina reveals a goalkeeper who needs to brush up on his distribution: “He really needs to be more consistent in his distribution, because he'll have one that's off, throwing or kicking, from time to time."

Otte also earned a Masters in International Marketing at Newcastle University Business School, a Doctoral Degree in the German Sport University Cologne in coaching and sports psychology. 

Arne Slot didn't know who Fabian Otte was

In a wide-ranging interview with Liverpool’s official website, new coach Slot admitted he did not know who Otte was before conversations with sporting director Richard Hughes about his appointment. 

“There's a replacement in the goalkeeping staff as well,” he said. “We've brought in Fabian Otte, who was working at Borussia Monchengladbach and is still now with the USA team at the Copa America.

Fabian Otte

“If you bring in Fabian, who I didn't know before, you have conversations, meetings with him – together with Richard – to bring the best possible person in we could find, and I think in the situation of Fabian we managed to do that. 

“He's regarded as one of the most interesting goalkeeper coaches there is at the moment and in the meetings we had I felt this as well.”

Other coaches had been linked with the role following the departure of long-term servant John Achterberg including Slot’s Feyenoord goalkeeping coach Jyri Nieminen but the Dutchman was unable to get his own preferred appointment over the line. 

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