Liverpool News: Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool exit plan, secret contract clause and three replacements
Jurgen Klopp has had a remarkably prosperous tenure at Liverpool, breaking the club’s Premier League drought by clinching their first title since the league’s inception in 1992, and securing a win in the 2019 Champions League final.
Nonetheless, the current season has been a letdown, with Liverpool bowing out of all cup competitions by mid-March, and occupying a lowly position outside the top four for most of the campaign.
This unsatisfactory season has fueled concerns about Klopp’s future at the club, as he has openly discussed the possibility of leaving Liverpool. There is even speculation that he might be dismissed.
What Klopp has said about leaving Liverpool
Klopp has been vocal about his eventual departure from Liverpool, expressing his views openly in the past few years, and making it clear that his time at the club is not indefinite.
“I have absolute energy. But I have one problem. I can’t do ‘a little bit’. I can only do ‘all or nothing’,” Klopp told Kicker Magazine in 2019. “When I decide that I cannot do it any longer then I will take a break for a year.”
In 2020, Klopp stated that he could possibly go back to his former club, Mainz, at some point in the future and even specified a potential departure date from Liverpool.
“Definitely to live, after my career. Most likely even to Mainz,” he explained to SWR Sport, adding he’d spend “four [more] years in Liverpool,” before heading back to Germany. “In five years the world can look very different again.”
Subsequently, Klopp reaffirmed his stance and acknowledged that he might retire from coaching after taking a one-year break following his eventual departure from Liverpool.
“I’ll take a year off and ask myself if I miss football,” explained Klopp to SportBuzzer. “If I say no, then that will be the end of coach Jurgen Klopp. If one day I am no longer a coach, there is one thing I will not miss: the brutal tension immediately before the game.”
Secret clause
When Klopp signed a contract extension with Liverpool in December 2019, the club included a clause to facilitate his return to Germany when he departs from the club in the future.
Klopp has been open about his intention to return to Germany at some point in the future, and the inclusion of the clause in his contract indicates Liverpool’s willingness to facilitate a smooth transition for him.
Although such assistance in terms of accommodation or schooling is typically provided for players, Liverpool’s move to extend it to Klopp underscores the mutual respect and admiration between the club and its manager.
Three replacements
Initially, there were four potential replacements identified for Klopp, but this number reduced to three after Steven Gerrard began talks to become the new head coach at Trabzonspor, following a meeting with the club president Ertugrul Dogan.
One of the potential candidates to succeed Klopp is Mauricio Pochettino, who has a proven track record of success during his time as the manager of Tottenham.
Although Pochettino has been linked with a potential return to Tottenham, amid uncertainty surrounding the future of Antonio Conte, the 52-year-old may prefer a change of scenery and could be an ideal fit for Liverpool.
Indeed, Thomas Tuchel is another potential candidate for the Liverpool job. The German coach has a similar background to Klopp, having previously managed Mainz and Borussia Dortmund before moving to the Premier League with Chelsea.
Tuchel was sacked by Chelsea in September, but he has proven himself to be a successful coach, leading the Blues to the Champions League title last season. With his experience in the Bundesliga and the Premier League, Tuchel could be a good fit for Liverpool if Klopp were to leave.
Liverpool could potentially change their playing style to become more possession-based under the guidance of Luis Enrique, a former coach of Barcelona and Spain.
Despite recent links to Tottenham, the Spanish coach is currently out of work and would be a cost-effective option for Liverpool if they decide to go down that route.
With his experience, Enrique could be a suitable choice for the Reds to continue their success under a different style of play.
Liverpool News: Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool exit plan, secret contract clause and three replacements
