Written by
Ian Westbrook
July 2, 2025
Liverpool have confirmed the appointment of Giovanni van Bronckhorst as Assistant Coach to Dutch compatriot Arne Slot.
The club have also announced the return of Xavi Valero as Head of First Team Goalkeeper Coaching.
Van Bronckhorst has had success as a manager in his own right since starting his coaching career in 2011.
He won the Dutch cup with Feyenoord in his first season in charge in 2015/16 and followed that with the Eredivisie title a year later. He won the cup again before leaving the club in the summer of 2019.
After a brief spell in charge of Chinese Super League club Guangzhou, he took over at Rangers in November 2021. By the end of that season, he had led them to two finals – the Scottish Cup, which they won, and the Europa League, which they lost. His time in charge only lasted 12 months and he also had a short spell at the helm of Turkish side Besiktas at the start of last season.
Van Bronckhorst also had a glittering playing career, which started and finished at Feyenoord and also took him to Rangers, Arsenal and Barcelona.
Among his honours were a Premier League title, two Scottish Premier League titles, two La Liga titles and a Champions League triumph. He also won 106 caps for the Netherlands, playing in the 2010 World Cup final.
Alonso back after 15-year gap
Meanwhile Alonso returns to Anfield after a 15-year absence to head up the club’s goalkeeping department.
He first joined the club in 2007 under manager Rafael Benitez – leaving in 2010 to follow him to Inter Milan, Chelsea, Napoli and Real Madrid. The pair went their separate ways in 2016, with Alonso spending almost two years with Chinese club Hebei China Fortune.
Alonso returned to English football in the summer of June 2018 after being appointed First Team Goalkeeping Coach and Head of Goalkeeping at West Ham United, where he has been ever since.
Alonso’s arrival is part of a shake-up of Liverpool’s goalkeeping department. He replaces Fabian Otte who, together with Claudio Taffarel, leaves the club.
Otte joined last summer as one of Arne Slot’s first appointments, while World Cup winner Taffarel arrived in December 2021.
These are the latest in a series of changes to Liverpool’s backroom staff.
They include the departure of First Team Coach John Heitinga at the end of May, First Team Physiotherapist Steve Lilley and Technical Skills Coach Diogo Paiva.
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