Arne Slot credits Liverpool’s sporting director for emergence of Bournemouth | Liverpool

Arne Slot has credited Liverpool’s sporting director, Richard Hughes, with turning Bournemouth into one of the toughest assignments in the Premier League.

Hughes joined Liverpool last summer from Bournemouth, where he had been technical director during the club’s rise from the Championship and led the appointment of Andoni Iraola as manager. The former Bournemouth and Portsmouth midfielder was also responsible for players such as Justin Kluivert to the Vitality Stadium. He was appointed Liverpool’s sporting director by Michael Edwards, a friend from their time together at Fratton Park.

Liverpool’s visit to Bournemouth on Saturday could be a significant moment in the title race and Slot, who rested nine senior players from Wednesday’s Champions League trip to PSV Eindhoven, says Hughes’s astute recruitment is largely responsible for the challenge his team faces. The Liverpool head coach, who was himself appointed by Hughes, said: “It’s one of the toughest games. They’ve shown already by beating Arsenal there and beating City there. They lost to Chelsea but missed a penalty, and have conceded only seven goals at home.

“The second half [of Liverpool’s 3-0 victory over Bournemouth in September] we played against them showed me they are a serious team. If you are 3-0 down and can keep competing and working that hard in the second half that tells you a lot about the mentality of the team. Combined with the quality they have – and Richard left that club in a very, very good place, not only with the quality of the players they have but because he hired a very good manager – then it’s no surprise to me that they are able to compete with every single team in the league.”

Slot said he has tapped into Hughes’s knowledge of his former club in preparation for Liverpool’s visit but added: “He tells us what we are already seeing. It’s not that important if he tells me things I don’t know like whether a player is married and has children, that will not influence the game tomorrow. But he definitely sees the things we are seeing because of their playing style and the manager is the same. What I see he confirms is true.

“They have a lot of quality, created by Richard. He hired a fantastic manager. Justin [Kluivert] is one of the many examples where Richard deserves a lot of credit. You need quality and that is what Richard brought there.”

Slot, meanwhile, insisted it is no surprise that Saudi Arabia’s sports minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki al-Faisal, wants Mohamed Salah in the Saudi Pro League. “I would be surprised if there was anyone around the world saying: ‘We don’t want Mo Salah,’” the Dutchman said. “Everyone wants him – including us. We want him to extend [his contract], of course. That is clear but I am not surprised that Saudi wants him. I would not be surprised if other countries wanted him as well.

“Mo is old and wise enough and has done so many smart things in his career that he will make the right decision for himself, and hopefully for us as well.”