Jurgen Klopp is staying at Liverpool until 2024, which on a morning where fans woke up very disappointed because of the election, has put a smile back on everyone’s face.
The club announced the news this morning, which is fantastic ahead of tomorrow’s clash with Watford and the upcoming Club World Cup.
The positive feeling that Klopp’s new deal will bring to everyone should help the tired legs that will be building up due to this hectic December period – which we’ve so far strolled through.
According to the boss, who has spoken in length about his renewal, there will be a distinct focus on getting our Academy players through to the first-team over his next five years – interestingly – especially as Brexit may make signing foreign players difficult.
“We want to go, we had to go, to the Academy to bring it closer together because that will be our future,” he told the official website.
“In the moment we have four fantastic players really close to the first team: Rhian Brewster, Curtis Jones, Harvey Elliott and Neco Williams, plus we have Caoimhin [Kelleher] as a goalkeeper. That’s five boys who I would have no problem to line up tomorrow if needed. Curtis now had his first [Premier League] minutes and of course they have time as well to develop, but that’s four or five and we want to increase that number in the future. With Brexit and stuff like this then things will change, and for the youth departments as well – where can we get the players from? So these players need a perspective and they need to feel ‘if I go to Liverpool then I have the best chance compared to all the other top six clubs’, for example, to make my first steps in the Premier League.”
The youngsters mentioned in Klopp’s speech will be playing for the first-team in a few days’ time against Aston Villa in the EFL Cup…
They’re not expected to get through, but it would insane if they managed it – as Jurgen Klopp won’t even be there and Neil Critchley is managing the side.
It’s great that the boss has such high hopes for the talent coming through, of course.
Of the names mentioned, we reckon Elliott has the biggest chance of becoming a first-term superstar – but we’d be delighted if the rest of them joined him!