- Jurgen Klopp To Leave At End Of The Season.
- Xabi Alonso And Steven Gerrard Lined Up.
- Klopp’s Record At Anfield Stands Out.
Liverpool is looking for a new manager who will replace Jurgen Klopp on his departure at Anfield. The announcement confirms that Klopp is stepping down from his managerial position as soon as the season comes to an end. Xabi Alonso, Roberto De Zerbi, Steven Gerard, and Josse Mourinho are among the top seven candidates mentioned as new potential bosses for Liverpool, and one has to qualify automatically for the replacement.
Klopp’s profile at Borussia Dortmund
The German arrived at Anfield after taking a short break from football following an impressive seven-year at Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga. Being appointed as a manager for Dortmund in the summer of 2008, he was tasked with rebuilding a side that finished 13th in the Bundesliga in the 2007/2008 season, and two years later he finished 6th and 5th respectively before achieving back-to-back Bundesliga titles, plus a German Cup win in the 2011/12 campaign.
Dortmund qualified for the UEFA Champions League final in 2013 under Klopp’s guidance, losing to fellow German side Bayern Munich at Wembley Stadium. He then left at the end of the 2014/15 season after seven years in charge.
Liverpool’s incredible performance under Klopp
Klopp later got his chance to manage in the premier league when he took over at Liverpool on Thursday 8th of October 2015. He led the Reds to the UEFA Europa League final in 2015/16 and the UEFA Champions League final in 2017/18, although both matches ended in defeat.
He qualified for the Champions League final the following season, this time guiding his side to a 2-0 victory against Tottenham Hotspur.
Liverpool celebrating after defeating Tottenham in the UEFA Champions League in 2019. Image, Sky sport.
It was also an impressive domestic campaign for Klopp’s Reds who finished a point behind Champions Manchester City despite losing only one premier league match in the entire 2081/19 season. In the following campaign, he guided Liverpool to their first Premier League title.
The Reds triumphed in style, setting a new record for the earliest title success, clinching victory with seven matches to spare, and leveling the 32 wins claimed by Manchester City in 2017/18 and 2018/19.
Xabi Alonso, a screenshot for Klopp’s replacement.
Liverpool is reportedly planning to start talks for Xabi Alonso, the Bayer Leverkusen head coach to replace Jurgen Klopp. Alonso is currently the favorite to be Liverpool’s next manager. This is understandable as he is currently working wonders in the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen, who are points clear of second-placed Bayern Munich
Having previously played for the Reds, Alonso would be a popular appointment. Insiders are reporting that the English club is about to step up their interest in him. Alonso began both playing and coaching career with his local La Liga club, Real Sociedad and when Rafael Benitez took over as Liverpool manager in 2004, he wasted no time in signing him as the priority player.
Mature beyond his years, as a young midfielder, he hit the ground running in the Premier League at the age of 22. After five years, 210 games, and an FA Cup win in the English game, he later moved to Real Madrid, where he won another Champions League and Spanish Title.
Liverpool are interested in replacing Jurgen Klopp with Xabi Alonso. Image, BBC.
He took over at Bayer Leverkusen in October 2022, at a time Bayer Leverkusen were second from the bottom after eight Bundesliga games. By the end of the season, Alonso’s Leverkusen had finished 6th, qualifying for the Europa League and reaching the semi-finals of that same competition. By the winter break of the 2023/24 season, Leverkusen were top, the only 96 clubs in Europe’s top five Leagues to remain unbeaten. They had not lost in any of their 25 competitive fixtures to that point (22 wins, three draws), setting a new German record.
Roberto De Zerbi is also mentioned
Brighton hired Roberto De Zerbi in September 2022 after the exit of Graham Potter to Chelsea. He did not take long to quickly instill his style of play and philosophy at the Amex Stadium.
After helping Brighton to qualify for the Europa League this season, and reach the knockout stages by topping their group, De Zerbi has also been linked with the possibility of one of the top jobs in Europe. Manchester United have been tentatively linked amid uncertainty around the future of Erik ten Hag, although nothing but mere speculation.
De Zerbi certainly uses an exciting style of play similar to what Klopp has utilized during his time at Anfield. And given he already has experience in the Premier League, it’s not outside the realms of possibility that he could be a candidate for the job.
Roberto De Zerbi is among the managers mentioned to replace Jurgen Klopp. Image, Football Espana.
Steven Gerrard could return in a coaching capacity this summer
It is a high possibility that Steven Gerrard will turn to the club in the summer in a coaching role at Anfield. Gerrard is currently the manager at Saudi Pro League side El Ettifaq and recently signed a two-year contract extension to remain with the club until the end of the 2026/27 season. The 43-year-old spent more than 25 years at Liverpool, joining the academy at the age of nine and going on to make more than 500 appearances for the first team.
After retiring from football in November 2016, he was appointed as the Liverpool youth coach and managed the under-19s before taking over at Rangers. Gerrard led the Glasgow side to a first Scottish premiership crown in a decade and ended Celtic’s bid for 10 titles in a row before joining Aston Villa in November 2021. However, his time at Villa was marred by inconsistency and he was sacked less than a year after his arrival. When the news of Klopp’s departure emerged, Gerrard’s name was immediately among the contenders for Klopp’s Replacement at Anfield.