FSG chairman Mike Gordon tried to convince Jurgen Klopp to stay at Liverpool, but Klopp refused. Klopp has been Liverpool’s manager since 2015 and has won the Europa League in the years since, including the club’s first Premier League title.
During his tenure, the 56-year-old led Liverpool to three Champions League finals, winning one and losing twice. Klopp’s departure has become synonymous with Liverpool’s success and will undoubtedly leave a significant void as the club search for a suitable replacement.
According to the latest reports, the current favorite for the position is Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso. The Spaniard is currently leading the Bundesliga without losing a game and could be the perfect replacement for Klopp. Despite Alonso’s enthusiasm, the thought of losing Klopp was difficult for FSG and despite the 56-year-old initially accepting the decision, Mike Gordon made a last-ditch effort to persuade Klopp to take a call. The FSG president reportedly “opened his checkbook and offered to change his mind.”
Although the exchange was meant to be a joke, it’s hard to believe that if Klopp had been open to the idea of persuasion, Gordon wouldn’t have gone along with it. Despite the appeal, Klopp insisted his decision was final, ignoring his boss’ tempting offer of “it’s not money, it’s money”. Liverpool assistant coaches Pep Lijnders and Peter Kravitz are also set to leave Klopp, along with the club’s elite development coach Vitor Matos. To make matters worse, sporting director Jörg Schmatke is set to bid farewell to Liverpool just days after the end of the January transfer window.
Liverpool” will be affected not only by the departure of Klopp, but also by the departure of the people he trusted.
