LIVERPOOL legend Dirk Kuyt and ex-Manchester United striker Henrik Larsson are set to put their rivalry aside by teaming up to manage Feyenoord next season, according to reports.
The Dutch-Swedish duo look on course to replace Dick Advocaat at the Eredivisie side over the summer.
Dirk Kuyt and Henrik Larsson look set to team up as the management team at Feyenoord next season
According to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, the club are looking to move ex-Sunderland boss Advocaat on despite still having a year left on his current deal.
And it is thought they will turn to Kuyt and Larsson to take the reins, with the Kop hero taking on his first managerial job and Larsson as his No2.
Kuyt’s close pal and former midfielder Alfons Groenendijk, who had brief stints with Ajax and Manchester City in the 1990s, is also expected to join the coaching team.
Feyenoord were third in the Eredivisie league table, behind AZ Alkmaar but ahead of PSV, when the season was scrapped.
Ajax therefore missed out on being crowned champions while Feyenoord will play in the Europa League.
Both Kuyt and Larsson spent spells with 1970 European Cup winners Feyenoord directly before moving to Britain.
The latter scored 42 goals in 149 games between 1993 and 1997, when he joined Celtic and became a club legend at Parkhead.
He went on to score 242 goals for the Hoops and earned himself a move to Barcelona where he won the Champions League in 2006.
DOUBLE ACT
A return to hometown club Helsingborg followed although the Swedish legend did enjoy a short stint on loan at Manchester United in 2007, scoring three in 13 and winning the Premier League.
Larsson has already had four stints as a manager, including two ill-fated spells with Helsingborg which ended in him leaving following abuse from supporters.
He was close to taking over as Southend boss earlier this season but pulled out of negotiations late on.
Kuyt, meanwhile, signed for Liverpool in 2006 after three years at the Dutch side and made a return in 2015 for two seasons, winning the league in 2016/17.
And the former Netherlands international boats an impressive record of 121 goals in just 199 Feyenoord appearances across the two spells.
His only silverware during his six years at Anfield came in the 2012 League Cup but he reached the Champions League final in 2007.
The forward, now 39, also helped Holland to the World Cup final in 2010, where they lost 1-0 to Spain.
Kuyt and Larsson, who have 61 international goals in 210 caps combined, were linked with a shock move last year to join forces with Dennis Bergkamp and buy League One club Wycombe Wanderers.
Reports stated they were set on “catapulting Wycombe into stardom” using the lessons they learned in the game.
Their model did not call for lavish spending, instead relying on building revenue and bringing back the club’s academy.
But a deal failed to materialise and American businessman Rob Couhig completed his 75 per cent purchase of the Chairboys in February.
Kuyt returned to Feyenoord in 2015 for two years, winning the Eredivisie title in 2016/17Credit: Rex Features
Feyenoord hero Dirk Kuyt starts chant to thousands of fans after title win
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
