Arne Slot’s first backroom appointment at Liverpool has been confirmed, with Ruben Peeters joining as First Team Lead Physical Performance Coach.
Peeters, 32, moves to Anfield from Feyenoord, where he worked as Head of Performance alongside the new Reds’ head coach.
Slot’s move to Liverpool was announced last week following the conclusion of the Premier League season with a compensation deal of a reported €11 million worked out between the English club and Feyenoord for the coach and two members of his staff.
Slot, Peeters and assistant Sipke Hulshoff will form the core of Liverpool’s new coaching setup as the club seeks to move beyond the Jurgen Klopp era.
Peeters was previously Physical First Team Coach at Belgian side Genk, where he worked from 2017 to 2021.
He earlier graduated with a Masters Degree in Sports Sciences from KU Leuven.
"Done Deal by Claes Agency: Ruben Peeters to Liverpool FC!", an announcement on the Claes Agency’s Linkedin profile reads.
“Ruben will be Liverpool FC’s First Team Lead Physical Performance Coach, accompanying Arne Slot and Sipke Hulshoff.
“From KRC Genk to Feyenoord Rotterdam N.V. to the big stages at Liverpool Football Club You'll Never Walk Alone, Ruben Peeters! Inspired by your future"
Liverpool have ripped up their backroom structure with new sporting director Richard Hughes and FSG’s new Head of Football Michael Edwards entering the club this summer.
Liverpool making big changes
A swathe of Klopp appointments have departed, including Pep Lijnders, Vitor Matos, Peter Krawietz and John Achterberg.
Andreas Kornmayer, meanwhile, Head of Fitness and Conditioning, also leaves with Peeters expected to take up some of his duties. Also going is Andreas Schlumberger, Head of Recovery and Performance.
The club are seeking to alleviate some of the injury problems that affected Klopp’s final season in charge under the new setup.
Players like Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joel Matip, Ibrahima Konate, Andy Robertson, Thiago, Stefan Bajcetic, Curtis Jones, Dominik Szoboszlai, Diogo Jota, Mohamed Salah and more all missed considerable portions of the season due to injury and - in some cases - reinjury.
Open positions at the club still include a first-team physiotherapist and a physical performance coach.
Last week an advertisement appeared on Linkedin for a set-piece coach.