Jurgen Klopp’s potential new contract with Liverpool and whether he would agree to new terms at Anfield are discussed by ECHO writers.
Paul Gorst: Klopp can bring in Liverpool with the feel-good factor 3.0
Talk of Jurgen Klopp’s contract extension only really picked up steam two years ago, after Liverpool won a record-tying ninth League Cup.
The manager said at the time that he would only sign new contracts if he thought he had the necessary stamina to stay in the position after the original agreements, which extended until 2024.
Following candid conversations with his spouse Ulla in their Merseyside residence’s kitchen, Klopp felt confident enough to agree to a new contract with the Reds in April of that year. The agreement was finalised just a day after Anfield’s first-leg loss to Villarreal in the Champions League semifinal.
After leading the team to its worst result in a full season under their current manager the previous time around, a loyal Klopp never considered quitting and took full responsibility for the team’s grievances. He was determined to make things right.
Pep Lijnders’s revelation last week that anyone who brought that baggage from the previous term with them when they began pre-season in July would receive a “punch in the face” provided insight into Klopp and his staff’s overall mindset for this season, and so far, so good.
There was a positive spirit at the club in 2022, and after two years, it’s clear that the AXA Training Centre is experiencing a similar atmosphere.
By the end of the month, Liverpool might have another Wembley showpiece to look forward to, and with a somewhat unexpected championship push presently in the works, it’s hard to deny that Klopp is feeling energised this season.
There’s a bounce in his step and a gleam in his eye around the training ground right now, and as long as this season goes well, people will start asking louder and louder: does Klopp want to stay on past 2026 and see Liverpool 2.0 through to its full completion?
Is there a world where he is mentioned in the same breath as the titans of Premier League management, Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger, who oversaw 49 years combined at Manchester United and Arsenal, respectively? Will Klopp’s Liverpool 3.0 ever materialise?
He may already be considering this important topic, yet working for Liverpool for such a long time is a strong case against it. Given his reputation within the team and among the supporters, you would think that the owners of Fenway Sports Group would be more than willing to let him make that choice on his own.
Ian Doyle: If Klopp determines it’s time for a change of pace or just a break, we won’t be upset.
Given the strength of their partnership since it started back in October 2015, it seems extremely improbable that Fenway Sports Group will be the ones to sever connections with Jurgen Klopp, regardless of how the German’s long-term future is settled. Therefore, Klopp’s decision over what to do when his current contract expires in the summer of 2026 will determine what happens next.
There will be a lot of things to think about. Not least among football ones, where Liverpool’s standing and aspirations will probably have a significant impact. The Reds will probably be entering their prime years if the current team’s continued development turns out to be even half as effective as his original rebuild. After all that hard work, it would be hard for any management to walk away from that.
However, the terrain will also have been altered by events elsewhere. Will Anfield have received more outside investment? What state-ownership regulations will the Premier League implement? And, maybe most importantly, how would Manchester City’s legal struggle with the authorities have turned out?
But it’s important to remember that when Klopp’s current contract expires, he will have spent nearly 11 years at Anfield. After the war, only Bill Shankly will have held the position of chief executive.
I was harassed and got raped I spent a lot on treatment so that made me lose trust that’s why I said make a deposit
Will the Liverpool manager therefore remain longer? It’s not something that can be replied right now; only he knows. However, if Klopp determines it’s time for a change of pace or just a nap, nobody will be upset. He already has a spot in the Anfield pantheon secured.
Tom Cavilla: Klopp may determine that it’s time to leave.
The prospect of Jurgen Klopp staying on at Anfield for a few more years is appealing to many Liverpool fans, but is that really what the German coach will want? When Klopp’s current contract expires in 2026, he will have already led the Reds for 11 years, and Liverpool’s roster may look very different by then.
Since Joe Gomez is the lone member of the original Liverpool team that Klopp took over from Brendan Rodgers, he may see 2026 as a time to pass the torch to someone else so they may leave a lasting legacy.
Nothing is more frustrating for a manager than to have spent years cultivating their reputation only to watch it gradually crumble as their output and outcomes decline. When it came to his inevitable exit in 2018, Arsene Wenger stayed long enough at Arsenal to become a villainous figure. The same could be said of Jose Mourinho, who spent his second tenure at Chelsea from 2013 to 2015.
Klopp might not be willing to take this risk in the first place, but there’s no guarantee he’ll have a similar outcome.
