Jürgen Klopp To Leave Liverpool At End Of Season
Photo by: Clive Brunskill
Liverpool Manager Jürgen Klopp will leave the club after an eight-and-a-half-year tenure in Merseyside.
The decision comes as a shock to football fans around the world as there appeared to be no indication that Klopp was set to leave.
Since arriving as manager in 2015, Klopp has brought tremendous success to Anfield, winning a plethora of trophies. Most notably guiding the Reds to their sixth ever Champions League Trophy and their first Premier League Title after a 30-year drought.
“I love absolutely everything about this club, I love everything about the city, I love everything about our supporters, I love the team, I love the staff. I love everything. But that I still take this decision shows you that I am convinced it is the one I have to take,” Klopp said in a video statement released by Liverpool. "It is that I am, how can I say it, running out of energy.”
Liverpool had plans to sign a new deal with Klopp keeping him at the club until 2026, but he has already made the decision to leave.
Klopp is not only leaving Liverpool, but will completely step away from football, at least for now, claiming he will take a break from being a manager at any level for the next year. "If you ask me now if I will ever manage again, I would say no. But you don't know obviously as I've never had this situation,” Klopp said.
He added: “But I do know definitely I will never manage a different club in England than Liverpool. It is impossible.”
Klopp has had his ups and downs with Liverpool since his arrival from Borussia Dortmund, but he has restored this storied club back to the summit of England and Europe.
With Liverpool currently in contention to win four different competitions, Klopp has the opportunity to make his farewell a memorable one. The Reds are currently top of the Premier League, and are also set to face Chelsea in the EFL Cup Final in a month’s time.
Klopp knows this news can be distracting to players, especially during the middle of the season, but wants everyone to make the most of his short time left, "We are Liverpool, we went through harder things together. And you went through harder things before me. Let's make a strength of it. That would be really cool. Let's squeeze everything out of this season and have another thing to smile about when we look back in the future."
Liverpool will start Klopp’s farewell journey on Sunday, as they host Norwich City in the 4th round of the FA Cup.
