Liverpool will never have another manager like Jurgen Klopp. He might not be a Scouser, but the German understood Liverpool as a city and a people, not just a soccer club. He reflected the values and personality of the Anfield support – and this was clear in the emotion felt during Klopp’s farewell on Sunday.
Within 24 hours of Klopp’s final game, Arne Slot was confirmed by Liverpool as their next manager. The Dutchman has signed a three-year contract to take over at Anfield after emerging from Fenway Sports Group’s extensive data-driven process as the best candidate. Others like Ruben Amorim and Robert De Zerbi were mentioned, but the Feyenoord boss landed the job.
“It is certainly not an easy decision to close the door behind you at a club where you have experienced so many wonderful moments and worked successfully with so many wonderful people,” Slot said about his successful spell at Feyenoord. “But as a sportsman, an opportunity to become a head coach in the Premier League, at one of the biggest clubs in the world, is difficult to ignore.”
Klopp has left Liverpool in the best possible position for Slot to be successful. While the Reds might have fallen away in this season’s Premier League title race, they still have a squad which is competitive at the top level of English and European soccer. Klopp has already done a lot of the work required for Liverpool to move into a new generation.
It would have been a different story for Slot had he taken over last summer. Liverpool were coming off the back of a disappointing league campaign which saw them miss out on a place in the top four – and Champions League qualification. It was clear that a new midfield unit was required to revitalise the Reds.
A busy summer transfer window, however, saw Fabinho, Jordan Henderson, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all leave Anfield with Wataru Endo, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai arriving in their place. Liverpool spent over £150m ensuring their midfield would be better-equipped.
With so much squad upheaval in such a short space of time, it was remarkable that Klopp was able to forge a functional midfield unit. Liverpool were a more energetic team through the middle of the pitch this season with their defence also improved thanks to increased pressure on the ball from the midfielders.
Klopp has also left behind a core of young players who could sustain Liverpool for years to come. Indeed, Conor Bradley made his first team breakthrough at right back this season with Jarell Quansah so impressive at centre back that he was named in England’s provisional squad for Euro 2024.
21-year-old Harvey Elliott played over 1,300 minutes for Liverpool in the Premier League this season while 23-year-old Curtis Jones is another who made a strong impression during the 2023/24 campaign. These are players Slot will inherit. The Dutchman will have the opportunity to mould them into a team of his own image.
Of course, there will be pitfalls for Slot as Liverpool’s new manager. While the Dutchman has earned a reputation for being a character in his own right, there’s almost no way he can replace Klopp in the hearts of the Anfield fanbase. It will certainly take time for Slot to earn the trust of Liverpool’s supporters.
Questions have been asked of Mohamed Salah’s long-term commitment to the club with the Egyptian believed to be a target for a number of Saudi Pro League clubs. Other Klopp stalwarts, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk, are both entering the final year of their contracts. Slot, together with Liverpool’s new-look recruitment team, have some difficult decisions to make.
In every possible way, though, Klopp left Liverpool in a much better condition than when he took over nine years ago. The Reds are now considered an established member of the English and European soccer elite and will be expected to challenge for Premier League and Champions League titles again in the near future. With the foundations Klopp put in place, that should be entirely possible.
