Arne Slot’s reign at Liverpool ended with a dismissal that stunned much of the football world, but the Dutchman has chosen to leave Anfield speaking less about tactics and trophies and more about a bond he insists will outlast his time in the dugout.

In a heartfelt open letter to supporters, Slot reflected on a turbulent 12 months that somehow contained both Liverpool’s 20th league title and a painful slide to fifth place. The championship, only the club’s second in 35 years, was, he wrote, “beyond special” not simply for its rarity, but because this time the fans were there to live every moment.

Slot evoked the walk through the Anfield tunnel, the brush of fingers against the famous sign, and the weight of history that comes with it. Responsibility, expectation, determination: he listed them as the emotions that drove his first season and culminated in a title he framed as a collective achievement, “a reward for the hard work, sacrifice and commitment shown by so many people throughout the club.”

Yet his letter quickly moved beyond football. He revisited the “shocking” scenes on Water Street, when celebrations turned to horror as a car ploughed into crowds, injuring more than a hundred supporters. Slot said his thoughts remain with those affected and praised the “spirit of compassion and unity” that he believes defines both club and city, a spirit he hopes will help deliver long‑sought justice and accountability.

The most searing passage concerned the death of forward Diogo Jota in a car crash, only weeks after the title parade. Slot chose to remember “a team-mate, a friend and an incredible human being,” and said the way Liverpool supporters honoured Jota in their grief would stay with him forever.

“The connection we share goes beyond football, beyond European nights under the Anfield lights or the sound of You’ll Never Walk Alone being sung from The Kop,” he wrote. “You made me feel welcome from the start and helped me on the path. That is something I cherish.”

Slot closed by thanking players, staff, owners and supporters, insisting Liverpool remain “amongst Europe’s elite” and expressing “complete confidence in what lies ahead.” Change, he acknowledged, is part of football, but he is convinced the club “will continue to make its people proud” as a new generation steps forward to write the next chapter.