Liverpool hero Jurgen Klopp is leaving Liverpool at the end of the season, a seismic move for the Premier League leaders and one of the biggest clubs in the world.
[ MORE: De Zerbi, Ten Hag, Alonso asked about Klopp exit ]
So much is set to change at Anfield, where Klopp’s assistants and the club’s sporting director are also set to leave Liverpool.
Considering the consistent buzz regarding the Saudi Pro League’s targeting of Mohamed Salah and the previous exits of Jordan Henderson, Sadio Mane, Fabinho, and Roberto Firmino, this club is going to look very different.
Who could be Liverpool’s next manager?
Presumed candidates like Xabi Alonso and Roberto De Zerbi are already answering questions about the job opening, and this conversation is only going to get livelier while Liverpool tries to hunt down three trophies during Klopp’s last dance, er, fist pumps at Anfield.
Well, who will be the next Liverpool sporting director?
Granted clubs are often prepared to appoint a manager (and another manager and another manager) outside of a director’s purview, but it’s difficult to imagine that Klopp’s fingerprints won’t be all over all decisions regarding his exit.
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There are good choices and bad choices, as Liverpool’s seen in its history. Even bosses who’ve won at almost every other stop — See: Rodgers, Brendan — have failed in the Anfield.
Here are the names you could and in some cases will see linked with the post
Will Xabi Alonso become the new Liverpool manager?
Xabi Alonso didn’t play for Klopp but he sure did play for Liverpool and is much-loved at Anfield as he won trophies and was key in their incredible Champions League success in Istanbul back in 2005. His pedigree as a player at Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid speaks for itself and he is well-respected across the game.
It’s early in his managerial career and his stock has never been higher than the work he’s done at Bayer Leverkusen, a huge club but not as big a spender as Bayern Munich.
There’s some reputational risk in how it looks if Leverkusen fail to keep their top spot, but such is life. Alonso has a clear playing philosophy and has been lauded as a great man-manager. Sound familiar?
Who is favorite to take over from Klopp?
Right now Xabi Alonso is the clear favorite but the following candidates are also said to be in the running:
Thomas Frank: There couldn’t be a better decision, and Brentford probably couldn’t stand in the way. It’s not like-for-like, but he would be a magnificent choice.
Roberto De Zerbi: If there’s a better choice than Frank, it might be De Zerbi. The difference is that Frank’s work in constantly reworking Brentford’s team has a longer resume.
Pep Ljinders: It was noted in Klopp’s exit post that his longtime assistant is looking to pursue a full managerial job. There’s one open here. This is what Sir Alex tried to do with David Moyes, albeit from outside of Manchester United.
Graham Potter: Is this the job he’s been waiting for? His failure at Chelsea could easily be branded a club failure. Totally different character to Klopp off the pitch so that may have an impact on the decision.
Steven Gerrard: As we’ve seen with Gerrard and Frank Lampard, you don’t need to actually succeed as a manager to get a big job. Gerrard would have learned under Klopp, and is only rivaled by Mohamed Salah in the club’s modern era of stars.
Jose Mourinho: If you haven’t considered how funny this would be, I’m not sure you’re alive. Mourinho’s been let go from Roma and is the very opposite of Klopp on the pitch.
Zinedine Zidane: Few names of his ilk also have the ego to not mind taking the reins from a club legend.