Arne Slot insists his focus remains on Feyenoord but acknowledged his confidence that an expected move to Liverpool will come to fruition.
Jurgen Klopp will depart the Reds at the end of this season, with widespread reports in the Dutch media suggesting Liverpool have already agreed a compensation deal to bring Slot to Anfield.
As speculation swirls over the Dutchman's future, Slot was keen to reiterate his commitment to Feyenoord, who are second in the league and face Zwolle in Sunday's Eredivisie fixture.
"For the 25th time, I really can't answer it," Slot said as questions continue to flow over the Liverpool links.
"There is nothing official yet and I am sitting here with a Feyenoord emblem on my chest, so the intention is for this press conference to be about Feyenoord, but I think you will try [and ask about Liverpool] anyway."
Slot led Feyenoord to their second Eredivisie title last season after taking over the club in 2021.
It is believed that he topped the list of Liverpool’s favoured candidates due to his attacking playing style and ability to develop players.
"I still have the confidence that things will turn out well, but I really can't give any further answers," Slot admitted, in his only concession over a move to the Premier League.
"If this continues, this will be an unpleasant press conference.
"I just think it's appropriate to give all the answers to these questions at the end of the season, because I'm still busy with Feyenoord here and Liverpool are also still busy with their season."
Feyenoord finished seven points ahead of second-placed PSV to secure only their second title since the turn of the millennium in the 2022-23 season.
In doing so, Slot became the third-youngest manager to guide Feyenoord to an Eredivisie title, after Giovanni van Bronckhorst (42) and Thijs Libregts (43).
Feyenoord won 42 points away from home during that season, the Dutch club’s highest such tally in their history, while they also scored in 31 consecutive Eredivisie games, their longest such streak since 1961 (37).
Therefore, Liverpool's interest comes as no surprise – but Slot was not keen for praise over the links to the Reds just yet.
"You can always congratulate me, but it is most appropriate to do so at the end of the season when it is really official," he added.
"We have made incredible progress. When I started here, we received 5.5 million euros for our striker and we were able to invest just about that amount.
"Now we are going into the Champions League for the second season in a row and the money is a lot more."
Slot also rubbished reports he visited England this week.
"I was in Italy with my daughter, otherwise I wouldn't have such a nice tan," he concluded.
'The grass is not always greener' – Chelsea target Frank in no rush to leave Brentford
Reported Chelsea target Thomas Frank is in no rush to leave Brentford, saying "the grass is not always greener" for managers who choose to jump ship.
Chelsea are hunting their fourth permanent boss under the Todd Boehly regime, having surprisingly parted ways with Mauricio Pochettino by mutual consent on Tuesday.
With the Blues reportedly looking for a dynamic young coach capable of working within their existing set-up, Ipswich Town's Kieran McKenna and Bees boss Frank have been touted as possible successors.
Brentford's finish of 16th in 2023-24 was their worst since Frank led them to the Premier League in 2021, but they remained comfortably clear of the drop zone despite battling a lengthy injury list and seeing Ivan Toney suspended for the first half of the season.
Across their three seasons in the Premier League, Brentford rank ninth for expected goals (xG) per 90 minutes (1.44) and eighth for expected goals against (xGA) per 90 (1.38).
While Frank has refused to rule out a move after almost six years as Brentford's head coach, he is not actively searching for a new job.
"I will probably be on that touchline on August 17," Frank told The Athletic. "I think that will happen. I'm happy here. I've said it many times and I mean it.
"It's close to the perfect football life. I'm not in any rush or searching to do something else but I also think I've learned in life I'm open for what can happen.
"I can see myself being here for a long period. Can I stay here for seven more years? I don't know and that's not that I don’t love Brentford, it's just, do I want to try something different?
"I'm very aware the grass is not always greener in the garden next door, even if it looks like it. You get in there, take a closer look and see there are a lot of weeds in the grass."
Brentford have already seen set-piece coach Bernardo Cueva agree to join Chelsea, and reports have suggested the Blues' hierarchy were unimpressed with how Pochettino's staff dealt with dead balls.
Brentford ranked second for xG from set-pieces in the Premier League this season (15.7) and allowed opponents the third lowest xGA figure from such situations (8.6), behind only Arsenal and Manchester City.
Newcastle United 1-1 Tottenham (5-4 pens): Magpies win controversial Australia friendly
Newcastle United overcame Tottenham on penalties following a 1-1 draw in Wednesday's controversial friendly in Melbourne, just three days after the end of the Premier League season.
A crowd of 78,419 packed into Melbourne Cricket Ground to watch two of the Premier League's top seven face off in a post-season game which had been criticised on player welfare grounds.
James Maddison celebrated being named in England's preliminary Euro 2024 squad by firing home Spurs' opener after 32 minutes, before his Three Lions team-mate Kieran Tripper was substituted after just 36 minutes.
Alexander Isak levelled from close range on the stroke of half-time, and the game went straight to spot-kicks after neither team was able to force a second-half winner.
Bryan Gil was denied by Mark Gillespie from Tottenham's first kick, with the nine subsequent attempts all successful as the Magpies triumphed 5-4.
After the game, Newcastle boss Howe moved to allay fears over Trippier's condition, saying his withdrawal was planned.
"We spoke with Kieran and thought the best thing to do was for him to start the game," Howe said.
"He's still in the early stages of recovery from his calf problem, we didn't want to take risks with him so half an hour was the aim. No injury there."
Ange Postecoglou, meanwhile, immediately turned his attentions towards the transfer window after failing to oversee a win in his native Australia.
"Last year, it certainly benefited us having a couple in early and having all the whole squad for pre-season," he said.
"Everyone wants to do business early, everyone is keen to bring players in but the reality of it is it usually takes a little bit of time.
"But the good thing for us is we know what we need to do, we've had the plan in place for quite a while and it's just about now going through that process."
Inter taken over by US investment fund Oaktree Capital
Investment fund Oaktree Capital Management has taken ownership of Serie A champions Inter after a missed €395million payment from the club's majority shareholder.
Granted by Oaktree in 2021 to the Luxembourg-based vehicle through which Chinese conglomerate Suning 002024.SZ controlled Inter, the loan was guaranteed by a stake in the club.
That gave Oaktree, which specialises in providing rescue funding to struggling firms, the potential right to take control of the club in the event of a default.
"Oaktree is committed to working closely with Inter's current management team, partners, the league and governing bodies to ensure the club is positioned for success on and off the pitch," it said in a statement.
A person close to the matter said Oaktree, which has only limited previous involvement in sports franchises, was not planning to sell Inter immediately and was prepared to be a "patient investor."
The upheaval off the field contrasts with the club's success on it, with Inter having last month secured their 20th Serie A league title and the second under Suning's ownership.
There was no immediate comment from Suning, which bought a majority stake in the club in 2016 in one of the highest-profile forays by a Chinese business into European soccer.
Since then, Chinese authorities have imposed curbs over overseas spending in sport and Suning has been hit by the COVID-19 downturn.
That prompted Suning three years ago to get a €275m emergency financing package from Oaktree, which helped Inter to weather the pandemic crisis.
In a letter to fans published on the club's website on Saturday, Inter chairman Steven Zhang, the son of Suning's founder Zhang Jindong, warned the club's stability was at risk as attempts to find an agreement with Oaktree had failed.
Oaktree's move mirrors the takeover of Inter's rivals Milan by U.S. hedge fund Elliott Management in 2018.
Elliott took control of Milan after Chinese businessman Li Yonghong missed a payment to the club.
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