“Yes, I have to. I will leave the club at the end of the season. I can understand that that’s a shock for a lot of people, in this moment when you hear it for the first time, but obviously, I can explain it – or at least try to explain it.” The words which had to come eventually, nothing lasts forever after all. Nevertheless, words the Anfield faithful hoped may be on the distant horizon rather than in the present.
However, January 2024 was the moment Jurgen Klopp chose to announce his decision to leave Liverpool at the end of the season. Keen to stress his love for the club, the city, the fans, the team, and his staff, there was nothing complicated about his reasoning – following eight years in the hot seat, Klopp has deemed it is time to take a break, listening to his dwindling energy levels, and realising he can’t continue to do such a high-pressure job year after year after year.
So, that’s it Liverpool fans, only a few more months of the man who has reinvigorated and reinvented one of the most successful clubs in the history of the English game. Those eight years seem to have flown by, but what an eight years it has been. Here, we look back at the achievements of one of the most brilliant coaching minds of the modern era, the key signings which lit the Liverpool touchpaper, and speculate upon where Klopp may end up next.
The Trophies
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Without a league title since the 1989/90 season and missing out on European success since that famous night in Istanbul, Klopp had a clear goal at the time of his arrival. His job was to restore the regular supply line of silverware to the Anfield trophy cabinet.
There have been near misses along the way – those Champion’s League Final defeats to Real Madrid in 2017/18 and 2021/22, and that agonising second-place finish to Manchester City in the 2018/19 Premier League season – despite amassing the third-highest points total in the history of the division at the time. However, even with those disappointments, it’s fair to say that Klopp has delivered on his brief, with the following added to the Liverpool list of honours during his glittering spell at the club.
- Premier League – 2019/20
- UEFA Champions League – 2018/19
- FA Cup – 2021/22
- EFL Cup – 2021/22
- UEFA Super Cup – 2019
- FIFA Club World Cup – 2019
- FA Community Shield – 2022
The Records
Such a consistent spell of success is impressive by any standards, but the manner in which Liverpool have blasted their way to glory has been equally eye-catching. Employing a brand of organised yet deadly attacking football, labelled “heavy metal” by Klopp, rather than tip-toeing their way to victory, the Reds have regularly blown almost everyone else away – as evidenced by the following records achieved during Klopp’s reign.
- Highest Ever Points Total by a Liverpool side – 99 in 2017/18
- Most Consecutive League Wins by a Liverpool Side – 18 (27 October 2019 – 24 February 2020)
- Longest Unbeaten Run in the League by a Liverpool Side – 44 (12 January 2019 – 24 February 2020)
- Longest Unbeaten Run at home in the League by a Liverpool Side – 68 (7 May 2017 – 17 January 2021)
- Most Consecutive Home League Wins in Premier League History – 24 (9 February 2019 – 5 July 2020)
- Most Consecutive League Games Scoring at Least One Goal by a Liverpool Side – 36 (10 March 2019 – 24 February 2020)
The Signings
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Following such a successful spell at Borussia Dortmund, Klopp arrived at Anfield with a clear vision of how the game should be played. Having a strategy is only half the battle. Klopp would also need the players to execute his plan. Thankfully, the new man was given the immediate backing of the board and continued to receive substantial support in the transfer window throughout his time at the club.
With the final transfer window of his tenure having now come and gone, Klopp made a total of 43 signings for Liverpool. Inevitably, not all acquisitions hit the mark, but when Klopp got it right, he did so in quite spectacular style. Ranking his greatest signings is always likely to spark some debate, but we suspect the following five will feature on the lists of most fans.
- 1. Mohamed Salah – Signed for £34m from Roma in June 2017
- 2. Virgil van Dijk – Signed for £75m from Southampton in January 2018
- 3. Alisson – Signed for £56m from Roma in July 2018
- 4. Sadio Mané – Signed for £30m from Southampton in June 2016
- 5. Andy Robertson – Signed for £8m from Hull City in July 2017
More Silverware Incoming?
When taken together, the trophies, records, signings, and firm footing on which he leaves the club represents quite the legacy. However, there is still time for Klopp to add a little polish to that incredible record. Moving into his Anfield lap of honour, Klopp has at his disposal a Liverpool side that currently sits atop the Premier League, is into the Carabao Cup final, and still in the FA Cup and Europa League. Four trophies well within reach, and it would take a brave man to bet against him winning at least one of them and quite probably two.
Next Stop for Klopp
No sooner had the news of Klopp’s imminent departure hit the mainstream, than speculation began as to where he may end up next. An unnamed beach in Mallorca appears to be the overwhelming odds-on favourite for his most likely port of call as soon as the season ends, as the German boss takes a well-earned break to recharge his batteries.
How long that reboot will take is difficult to predict. Perhaps that will be it, and Klopp will live out his days in peace and tranquillity away from the limelight. However, given his continued love of the game and competitive spirit, it seems more likely that he will, one day, return to his role in the dugout. But where?
The European titans of Barcelona, Real Madrid, and PSG are all touted as potential destinations, as is an emotional return to Borussia Dortmund. However, if the betting markets are to be believed, a role with the German national side is the most likely option. With the German side slumping and performing like a side team farless than the sum of its parts, the job is surely Klopp’s for the taking if he wants it – a prospect which should probably strike fear into England and every other major footballing nation.