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Arne Slot turned down the opportunity to become Leeds manager more than a year before accepting the Liverpool position.
The Reds boss had been at the helm of Feyenoord for two years when the Whites approached him. Following Jesse Marsch's dismissal at Leeds in February 2023 after nearly a year in the role, approaches were made to secure Slot's services, but the Dutchman declined the chance to move to Elland Road.
The 47-year-old became the third manager to reject the opportunity to join the Premier League club, after then-West Brom boss Carlos Corberan penned a new deal, while current Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola was prevented from moving by his former club, Rayo Vallecano.
Slot described Leeds' interest as a "compliment," but he reassured Feyenoord fans by confirming his commitment to staying in the Netherlands. Slot said: "It is true that I will stay with Feyenoord, I can say that with this one. That is clear, fans do not have to be afraid."
Referencing Feyenoord's prospects of securing silverware with just four months remaining in the campaign, he added: "The club has been clear.
"It was a compliment that a club like Leeds was interested, but we are doing something great with Feyenoord. We are in a great position in the league, the cup, and Europe. There is no disappointment. It's certainly not a punishment to stay here."
After Slot turned down the offer, Leeds U21 manager Michael Skubala was appointed as interim manager, a position he held for two weeks before Javi Gracia took over.
However, the Spaniard's tenure lasted less than three months, with only three victories in his 12 games at the helm.
Sam Allardyce was the next to take on the challenge in early May, as Leeds was desperately trying to avoid relegation. The former West Ham and England boss couldn't turn things around, failing to secure a win in his four matches in charge.
As Leeds prepared for its return to the Championship, ex-Norwich manager Daniel Farke was handed the reins at Elland Road, a position he has held ever since.
The German guided the club back to the Premier League last season and celebrated the team's biggest victory of the season on Wednesday, defeating Chelsea 3-1 to halt a four-match losing run.
Meanwhile, Slot stayed on at Feyenoord until the end of the 2023-24 season, when he agreed to succeed Jurgen Klopp at Anfield that summer. His first season couldn't have gone better, leading Liverpool to their second Premier League title in five years.
This success led to Slot being entrusted with the largest transfer budget in the club's history, spending around $600 million during the summer.
However, no one could have predicted the drastic dip in form that the Reds have experienced this season. With six league losses already under their belt, the heat is on for the Liverpool manager, with many starting to question his position.
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