The Long Goodbye: Who Will Replace Klopp Once He Leaves Liverpool?

It wasn’t the news that any Liverpool fan wanted, but on January 26th 2024, Jurgen Klopp revealed he would be leaving Liverpool Football Club at the end of the current season.

The charismatic German has been in charge on Merseyside since October 2015, and has attained near deity-like status at Anfield after winning every available trophy, and securing the club its first league title for 30 years. 

Now that the dust has settled on the jaw-dropping announcement, focus needs to turn to who will become Klopp’s predecessor. Of course, this is something that Fenway Sports Group and the Liverpool board will have been thinking about for months. Here are some of the bookies favourites to take over the role,

Xabi Alonso at the Europa League press conference, BayArena, March 13, 2024(source: Imago)

Ex-Liverpool legend and Spanish superstar Xabi Alonso was one of the earliest names touted to take over from Klopp. Alonso, who also played for Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in a glittering career, has enjoyed a wonderful season in charge of Bayer Leverkusen, leading Die Schwarzroten to a 10-point unbeaten lead over reigning champions Bayern Munich.

Availability:

Any move for Alonso would need to come at the end of the season, and will depend a lot on how the rest of the campaign unfolds at Leverkusen.

There is also the matter of Bayern Munich, who are staring down the business end of a terrible season, and who seem highly likely to part ways with Thomas Tuchel once the campaign comes to an end.

Fit:

There is no question that Alonso would be the perfect fit for his former club, and the majority of the fanbase is keen on the appointment.

He has turned Bayer Leverkusen from a top 6 German club into the most interesting team in the world right now, and is on the cusp of securing the club’s first-ever Bundesliga title. But, it also seems likely that Bayern Munich will make a move too, and the fact he is already in Germany could sway the deal in favour of Bayern.

Luis Enrique before PSG vs. Montpellier, Ligue 1, March 17, 2024(source: Imago)

An outsider for the role, Enrique is the current manager of Paris Saint-Germain, and, though he is on course to win the league, failure to reach at least the semi finals of the Champions League could see the French giants refuse to renew his contract. The former Barcelona and Spain boss does have a good track record of winning trophies, but lacks Premier League expertise.

Availability:

Currently under contract at PSG, there is little doubt that his availability is going to depend on how the season closes out, as well as any success he might be able to bring in the next few months.

Liverpool will be looking for a manager who has the right kind of availability to be able to join without a prolonged contract battle, so he could be a good choice.

Fit:

In terms of fit, whilst it is true that Enrique has managed success with the likes of Barcelona and the Spanish national side, his style of football feels more fitting to a side like Manchester City, that favours a tiki-taka passing style. He also has no experience of management in England; this feels like the least likely or logical fit on the list.

Thomas Tuchel guiding FC Bayern in the Bundesliga clash with Darmstadt, March 16, 2024(source: Imago)

Under fire Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel could be in the running for the Anfield hotseat, but is certainly more of an outsider.

Like Klopp, he has Borussia Dortmund links, but he also has Chelsea links, which many Liverpool fans would find difficult to overlook, not to mention his more pragmatic playing style, which would wind up at odds with . Tuchel’s poor season at Bayern, and struggles at Chelsea towards the end of his tenure, mean the Liverpool job feels unlikely at this point.

Availability:

It is likely that Tuchel will find himself without a job at the end of the season, as Bayern have underwhelmed domestically in this campaign, despite their positive transfer strategy for the 2023/24 season.

Though success in the Champions League could go some way towards changing that. However, the smart money says the German will be available at the end of the season, and will not require compensation to lure him away.

Fit:

Tuchel does not have the CV or playing style to make him the right successor to Klopp’s frenetic heavy-metal football.

It feels unlikely that he would be chosen versus other options on the market, but he does have Premier League experience, as well as a Champions League title under his belt, which means there is experience there.

Roberto De Zerbi strategising for Brighton & Hove Albion at the Olimpico Stadium against AS Roma, 7th March 2024(source: Imago)

Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi is another who has found his name in the hat for the Anfield hotseat, and in many ways this would be a sound appointment for Liverpool.

Brighton are a well run club who play excellent football under De Zerbi, and he has also worked wonders on a tight budget, which will appeal to FSG.

Availability:

Of course, prizing De Zerbi away from Brighton could well set Liverpool back a fair amount in compensation, but many will view it as worthwhile.

However, this might be tougher than first thought, as Brighton have shown themselves to be tough negotiators, and have already dealt with Liverpool firmly over the Moises Caicedo transfer debacle. Any approach for De Zerbi will be viewed as a challenge.

Fit:

De Zerbi’s style of play, demeanour, and age profile make him a great choice and fit for the role, and he would be second choice for many Liverpool fans.

The Italian has Premier League experience, plays some of the best football in the division, and has managed to get a great deal out of relatively average players

Xabi Alonso is the bookies favourite at the time of writing, but interest from Bayern could rule him out of the running sooner rather than later. 

In Conclusion

There are many names linked with the Liverpool job; after all, it is one of the most prestigious jobs in world football. Alonso, Enrique, Tuchel, and De Zerbi will all bring different things to the table, though the latter two feel like less likely options.

Liverpool have proven themselves as a club not afraid to take a risk on a more low profile manager, as the appointments of Roy Hodgson and Brendan Rodgers proved. They also tend to be patient, and this will be good for whichever new candidate is given the job.