Liverpool have to be wary of Manchester United £191m mistake when replacing Jurgen Klopp

Liverpool have to be wary of Manchester United £191m mistake when replacing Jurgen Klopp

Jurgen Klopp, unlike Erik ten Hag, wasn’t a fan of signing former players, but whether that stays the case at Liverpool after his departure remains to be seen

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ByTheo SquiresLiverpool FC Writer
06:00, 14 FEB 2024
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Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, and Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag
Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso, Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, and Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag (Image: Getty Images)
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While Jurgen Klopp has tried to sign Mario Gotze and Christian Pulisic during his time at Liverpool, he has never linked up with any of his former players at Anfield.

Taking over the Reds in October 2015, the German insisted at the time that he had no intention of signing any of his former players.

“I have no intention whatsoever to lure Dortmund’s stars to Liverpool,” he reportedly told Bild. “I am not interested in how much money I will be allowed to spend in January.

“It is only October and I don’t even know how many games there are left until the winter. But we clearly have plenty of games left and we will be taking a look at our own players first.”

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However, the following month, he would deny that there was an agreement with his former club that would prevent him from signing any of his old players.

“I have no agreement with Borussia Dortmund,” he said. “I heard about an agreement, but no. Yet in my opinion it only makes sense to go for players we think we can get…

“There are so many mothers in the world that have brilliant sons, so you don’t always have to take the guys that everybody knows. Maybe you take one. But I have a good relationship still with Borussia Dortmund and with all the players.

“There is nothing between us and if there was a possibility that we could get one of those players and we needed him, then we could try it. But there is no agreement, of course not. And there is no agreement that we can’t sell players to Borussia Dortmund!”

While links with the likes of Gotze, Robert Lewandowski, Marco Reus, Ilkay Gundogan, Neven Subotic and Matt Hummels inevitably rose their head following the German’s appointment at Anfield, such speculation quickly quietened as it became clear that the new Liverpool boss favoured looking elsewhere.

Consequently, Klopp has only ever worked with seven players at more than one club – and even then, two of them signed for Borussia Dortmund II rather than his first team.

From the senior quintet, Nevan Subotic is the most famous example, following Klopp from Mainz 05 to Dortmund in June 2008 – the same summer the German made the move. Meanwhile, he signed Markus Feulner directly from his following club at the end of the midfielder’s contract the following year.

Having been forced to sell Mohamed Zidan to Hamburg in June 2007 ahead of his final season with Mainz, Klopp brought him to Dortmund in August 2008. Meanwhile, he snapped up Antonio da Silva and Manuel Friedrich on free transfers in August 2010 and November 2013, having previously worked with them at his former club years earlier.

Evidently, it’s clear even that on the rare occasions when he did shop for the familiar, Klopp has still predominantly avoided poaching his past players. Yet such a trait is rare in world football, with new managers often looking to reunite with players that have previously served them well.

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Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United squad is a good example of such practices.

The Red Devils have (over)spent £191m reuniting their manager with former Ajax trio Lisandro Martinez, Antony and Andre Onana. For the record, he had also worked with Donny van de Beek when manager of the Dutch giants, while summer loan signing Sofyan Amrabat played for Ten Hag at Utrecht.

The former Ajax quartet are just four of 15 players to have ever made over 100 appearances under Ten Hag, so are clearly players he knows better than most. But are they even up to the standards required?

Sure, Martinez enjoyed a successful start to life at Old Trafford before injury intervened, but Antony, who is the second-most expensive player in the club’s history, has proved to be nothing more than an ineffective, big-money flop. Meanwhile, Onana endured an error-strewn miserable start to his United career as he struggles to replace David de Gea.

Meanwhile, Ten Hag might not have signed Van de Beek for United, but the midfielder has never managed to live up to his previous form in Amsterdam since being reunited with his former manager. As for Amrabat, he appears to be a deadline day panic buy on loan from Fiorentina, who has not looked up to the pace of English football.

Maybe Klopp has been onto something by predominantly not recruiting his former players. Yet with the German set to leave Liverpool in the summer, and vowing to take a sabbatical, only time will tell if such a stance remains intact when he does choose to return to the dugout.

But while Klopp will look to take a year out of the limelight, the Reds will appoint a new manager in the months ahead. And when the would-be successor embarks on his first transfer window in charge of the club, he will inevitably be linked with moves for some of his former players.

Take Xabi Alonso for example, with the former Liverpool midfielder currently one of the favourites to replace Klopp at Anfield. With the Spaniard shining at Bayer Leverkusen, the Reds continue to find themselves linked with moves for Florian Wirtz and Piero Hincapie.

HITC have even reported that Liverpool were scouting the pair when Alonso’s Leverkusen side dismantled Bayern Munich 3-0 on Saturday to move five points clear at the top of the Bundesliga table.

Admittedly, such ongoing transfer speculation pre-dates Klopp’s announcement that he would be leaving the club. And it will certainly only heighten if the Reds do end up hiring Alonso.

Likewise, were Liverpool to hire Sporting Lisbon manager Ruben Amorim, who has also been linked with the job, speculation linking the Reds with the likes of Marcus Edwards, Goncalo Inacio and Ousmane Diomande would surely also grow.

It is the easy next step following managerial appointments where transfer speculation is concerned. But perhaps Liverpool would be best to err on the side of caution when appointing their next manager and taking a leaf out of their soon to be former manager’s book.

After all, it has not worked out for their last two managers who actually were tempted to recruit familiar faces.

Brendan Rodgers made Fabio Borini and Joe Allen his first two signings when taking over at Anfield in the summer of 2012, with the pair costing the Reds a combined £25m. The Italian had worked under the Northern Irishman in the Chelsea academy and on loan at Swansea City before returning to Italy, while the Wales international was a direct signing from the South Wales club.

Neither would be deemed successes at Anfield. Borini scored only three times from 38 appearances, and spent the 2013/14 season on loan at Sunderland after struggling in his first year on Merseyside. Staying put upon his return, his fortunes did not improve and he was sold to the Black Cats for an initial £8m in August 2015.

Meanwhile, Allen actually enjoyed a bright start to life at Liverpool before injury intervened. In the end more a squad player, he was sold to Stoke City for £13m in Klopp’s first summer transfer window.

Infamously christened the ‘Welsh Xavi’ by Rodgers following his arrival at Anfield, Allen would later admit that such a tag only set him up for a fall.

“There’s been a few floating around, there’s an obvious one I’m not saying. (The Welsh Pirlo is) a dangerous one,” he told reporters when impressing at Euro 2016, prior to his Liverpool exit.

“I had the Welsh Xavi tag for a while and that didn’t really do me too many favours, so I’m trying to steer myself away from the new one too.”

The pair are at least remembered more fondly than the two players Roy Hodgson chose to reunite with during his own brief stint on Merseyside during the 2010/11 season.

He signed Paul Konchesky from former club Fulham in a £4m deal on transfer deadline day in August 2010, in a move which saw two of the Reds’ youngsters move the other way. It later emerged that Hodgson had accidentally sold the wrong player.

Meanwhile, the former England international struggled miserably at Anfield. Limited to just 18 appearances, he was offloaded on loan to Nottingham Forest in January 2011 by caretaker manager Kenny Dalglish without even making an appearance under the Scot.

Sold to Leicester City for £1.5m the following summer, he is ‘best’ remembered for his mum branding Liverpool fans ‘Scouse Scum’ in a 4am tirade on Facebook, defending her son while declaring he never should have left Fulham.

Hodgson also reunited with Christian Poulsen at Anfield, having previously signed the Dane after a successful trial when in charge of FC Copenhagen in September 2000. Brought to Liverpool in a £4.5m switch from Juventus in August 2010, he made just 21 appearances as he struggled to adapt to English football.

Dalglish then offloaded Poulsen to French Ligue 2 champions Evian Thonon Gaillard in the summer of 2011 as the Reds quickly looked to overwrite Hodgson’s unsuccessful time at the club.

In the case of all four, Liverpool made a loss when moving the players in question on. Konchesky, Poulsen and Allen were all swiftly offloaded by the manager who signed them’s successor, while Borini didn’t even last that long.

Admittedly, if the next Reds manager did look to reunite with a former player, it is by no means certain that the individuals in question would struggle at Anfield. But with such speculation set to be rife as Liverpool undergo their first managerial search in nine years, it is worth remembering that just because a transfer is an ‘easy’ one to complete, following in the footsteps of a familiar face, that does not make it the right one.

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I went on trial with Manchester United but rejected them to sign for Liverpool instead
Conor Bradley has made his breakthrough at Liverpool but he could have ended up playing for Man Utd instead.

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ByRichard FaySenior Football Writer
05:30, 14 FEB 2024
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Conor Bradley is enjoying his breakthrough at Liverpool (Image: 2024 Liverpool FC)
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Conor Bradley insists that his childhood support for Liverpool wasn’t the only reason why he chose to sign for them instead of Manchester United earlier in his career.

The 20-year-old has been one of the breakthrough stars of the Premier League season after making his competition debut against Bournemouth last month. Bradley grabbed an assist in the 4-0 win and built upon it when he notched another two in a 5-2 win over Norwich in the FA Cup the following week.

The best was yet to come for the Northern Irish youngster, though, when he scored once and assisted twice in the 4-1 win over Chelsea and was even nominated for the Premier League Player of the Month award.

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He has since made nine appearances in total for the Liverpool first team, and it looks like he could be a long-term competitor for vice-captain Trent Alexander-Arnold.

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It’s been a whirlwind journey for Bradley since he joined Liverpool from Dungannon Swifts almost five years ago, but things could have been a lot different had he signed for United instead.

“I was training with the Liverpool Academy in Belfast, and they brought me over for a trial,” he previously told the Belfast Telegraph. “I didn’t do very well at first, but then I went to Germany on a tour in April 2016, and I was named Players’ Player of the Tour. That was really the start of it all for me.”

“I played a game for Northern Ireland in Newry, and after that, I had Chelsea and Manchester United looking at me as well.

“I went to United and Southampton on trial, but we picked Liverpool. It wasn’t just because I support them; it was because they’re a real family club, and that’s something we all really appreciate.

“They’re also keen on the education side of it, which is very important to me.”

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Xabi Alonso, the man and the coach, and how he’s become the favourite to be Liverpool’s next manager
Special report as Paul Gorst speaks to Anfield legend Jamie Carragher and German football expert Seb Stafford-Bloor about Xabi Alonso, the Bayer Leverkusen boss tipped to succeed Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager

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ByPaul GorstLiverpool FC correspondent
05:00, 14 FEB 2024
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LEVERKUSEN, GERMANY – FEBRUARY 10: Bayer 04 Leverkusen head coach Xabi Alonso looks on prior to the Bundesliga match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and FC Bayern München at BayArena on February 10, 2024 in Leverkusen, Germany. (Photo by Rene Nijhuis/MB Media/Getty Images)
Xabi Alonso looks on prior to the Bundesliga match between Bayer 04 Leverkusen and FC Bayern München at BayArena on February 10, 2024 (Image: Rene Nijhuis/MB Media/Getty Images)
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For Liverpool fans of a certain vintage, the name Bayer Leverkusen will always induce a wince and a longing for what might have been.

It’s nearly 22 years now since Gerard Houllier’s UEFA Cup holders nudged themselves into the last eight of the European Cup before a 4-2 defeat to the German side saw them eliminated 5-3 on aggregate.

Michael Ballack’s power and class, a misguided Houllier assertion that his team were “10 games from greatness”, and a harrowing quarter-final exit from the Champions League are all part of the Leverkusen iconography in the mind’s eye of the Anfield faithful.

In the modern era, that is changing. Now, Reds fans from all over the world are tuning in to see how Xabi Alonso is faring in charge of a team who he has guided from second bottom to top spot in the Bundesliga in less than 18 months. The fact his charges are also in possession of a five-point advantage over perennial winners Bayern Munich makes it even more impressive.

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And with Jurgen Klopp having announced his bombshell decision to step away from Anfield after nine largely decorated years at the helm, interest in Alonso’s fortunes from a Liverpool perspective has ramped up ten-fold in recent weeks.

So the 2005 Champions League winner picked the perfect night to showcase his coaching talents to the wider forum of European football last week when his Leverkusen side dismantled the Bundesliga behemoth that is Bayern 3-0 to take firm control in the title race.

It wasn’t so much an evening where Alonso announced himself to the wider world as a manager but the night where he pulled up a megaphone and did so in a manner that would have made the Wolf of Wall Street himself, Jordan Belfort, blush. “I’m not f****** leaving!” Top spot, that is.

“If this was another manager who was having this season at Leverkusen, I am sure he would come into Liverpool’s thoughts,” says Jamie Carragher. “Listen, you could see straight away [at Liverpool] he was a real football lover and he wasn’t just a great player. He was always interested in tactics and he had a great idea about football at a young age and I think that has helped him really.”

It was the sort of swaggering, uncompromising performance against the undisputed kings of the Bundesliga that evoked memories of 2011 when Bayern were swept aside in similarly convincing fashion by the last team to have beaten them to a top-flight title in Borussia Dortmund.

A 3-1 defeat to Dortmund, who were managed by a certain Jurgen Klopp in February 2011, had them virtually queuing up at the Allianz to crown their visitors as the next champions of Germany as BVB secured their first win away to Bayern in 19 years.

“Most of my boys were still being breast-fed then,” Klopp is said to have joked after that game as Bayern were reported in local media to have resembled “driftwood in a sea of yellow and black”. It was Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke’s insistence that he “couldn’t give a s*** about the championship today,” because he was “too happy with the way we played” that provided the most unique observation on the day however.

Thirteen years later, it was perhaps worth dusting off that succinct, no-nonsense summary to accurately describe how Alonso’s side had also overwhelmed their exalted visitors. As a result, Die Werskelf remain unbeaten this season with just four draws among their 21 league games.

Their 22 victories from 35 games across 2023 was a new club record and that form has yet to tail off at the mid-February point. There’s a reason their tongue-in-cheek nickname has gone from Neverkusen to Neverlosen and something is most certainly being built at the BayArena. This is no fluke.

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“If you look at the summer recruitment and how that has suited Alonso, that’s a good example [of how he works with his sporting director],” says Seb Stafford-Bloor, European football writer for The Athletic. “Xhaka, Hofmann, and Grimaldo arrived, because the club wanted a different type of dressing room chemistry. All of those players were agreed upon by Alonso and Simon Rolfes (sporting director) and the way they’ve been used – and how important they’ve been throughout the season – demonstrates how aligned they each are with one another.”

The fearsome defensive partnership of Timothy Tapsoba and Jonathan Tah has helped Bayer record a league low of just 14 goals conceded, while players who had previously been cast aside elsewhere around Europe, such as Granit Xhaka (Arsenal), Jeremie Frimpong (Celtic) and Nathan Tella (Southampton), have shown those judgements to have been premature under the tutelage of Alonso.

Ten-goal Victor Boniface has been a real find from Belgian outfit Union Saint-Gilloise, while Piero Hincapie, the left-footed Ecuador defender, has reportedly been attracting attention of scouts from Anfield due to his own form.

Alex Grimaldo, who registered his eighth goal of the season in the win over Bayern, has been a revelation as an adventurous, free-spirited left-wing-back, while Florian Wirtz is the fleet-footed creative fulcrum. His return after rupturing a cruciate ligament cannot be overstated in all of this.

Despite the number of players enjoying superlative campaigns, however, there is a feeling that much of it has been masterminded by the tactical invention of Alonso, whose astute and measured observations during his time as a head coach have remained true to the type of classy, ball-playing style that helped make his name as a player.

As a player, Alonso has sat at the heel of many greats. At Real Madrid, it was Jose Mourinho and Carlo Ancelotti; at Bayern Munich, it was Pep Guardiola; and at Liverpool, Rafa Benitez. As one of more cerebral midfielders in an era that saw the relentless pressing of German influence replace the elegant possession-based approach more favoured across Spain, Alonso has watched and learned as the game has changed during a period that saw his own playing days merge into his coaching years. As a result, it feels as though his ideals have been taken from each lane to all meet at the same intersection.

Carragher tells the ECHO: “I think that can only help any manager with their different experiences in different countries and different styles of football. You think of some of the managers he’d had, in the modern generation, he’s had all the best ones and also his father was a player or a manager, too, so he’s just had football in his life constantly, and the clubs he’s played for, the calibre of manager and also the calibre of player was as well.

“He was a thinking-man’s player; he didn’t rely on his physicality, it was more his brain. So even before he’s shown himself as a great manager, he is someone who I think people might’ve thought he could be a top manager.”

Alonso’s first move in charge back in October 2022 was to switch to a 3-4-3 formation that sought to allow the opposition time on the ball against a more compact system that closed the spaces behind their midfield. It led to fewer concessions before work went into developing the team as a more productive outfit in the final third, using the pace of players like Moussa Diaby, now of Aston Villa, and Mitchell Bakker.

It is the speed and execution in those transitions that will be most recognisable to Liverpool supporters, with the Reds regarded as one of the most devastating around when those spaces open up. Playmaker Wirtz’s comeback was also key to the upturn.

Across 96 teams in Europe’s top-five leagues this term, Leverkusen rank first for passes-per-game (683), short passes (646) and their percentage of short passes (95%), while they are in second for 10-pass sequences (22.6). It all points towards a coach who anoints possession as king in the same manner as Guardiola at Manchester City.

Carragher says: “When you think of his background and where he comes from, the teams he played for, it shouldn’t surprise that there’s a Pep Guardiola influence. He had the influence at Bayern for a couple of seasons and Pep is a massive influence on everyone in football, especially Spanish players I would imagine.

“You think of when Spain had their success in the World Cup (2010) and the Euros (2008 and 2012) that was when Barcelona were at their peak as well (under Guardiola). They were dominant so that football was almost copied by everyone, so it shouldn’t surprise that he is similar to Pep.”

“To an extent [they are similar] and Alonso has spoken before about Guardiola’s influence,” says Bundesliga expert Stafford-Bloor. “But I do think there are differences. Alonso’s use of Jeremie Frimpong, for instance, is more aggressive. How he creates space for his internal players – like Wirtz – also contrasts with what might be expected from a Guardiola team.

“Leverkusen are quite patient with the ball. They’re good at pressing, but not particularly intense. So, there are plenty of comparisons, but Alonso’s style seems a bit looser – his players express themselves a touch more and don’t seem quite as structured in the way they build moves.”

What is inescapable, though, are Alonso’s links to Anfield that were forged in the mid-to-late 2000s. A Champions League and FA Cup winner in 2005 and 2006, he was also a star of a team that finished runners-up in the 2007 European Cup to AC Milan before running Manchester United to within a whisker of the Premier League title two years later.

“Liverpool fans aren’t daft and they fell in love with him straight away as a player and they could see what he was about,” Carragher adds. “When he came he moved into the centre and into the Albert Dock and he wanted to immerse himself into the city, so he is a good guy, down to earth who doesn’t get too carried away.”

A fan-favourite from day one, Liverpool’s fans were instantly in the thrall of Alonso after his 2004 arrival from Real Sociedad as he provided the velvet glove to the steel fist of Steven Gerrard in the centre of Benitez’s midfield. That, inevitably, will provide him with the groundswell of support any incoming manager will need, whoever it is who replaces Klopp; a manager who walks away as a legendary figure, whatever happens between now and the end of the campaign.

“I think succeeding Klopp is practically impossible,” says Stafford-Bloor. “Does Alonso have the same emotionally reachable qualities? Is he going to mimic Klopp’s interactions with the crowd at Anfield? No.

“He doesn’t seem like that kind of persona at all. He’s a bit more stoic, but he’s still impressive and possesses an obvious gravitas. He’s an excellent communicator, speaks German and English to a really high level, and clearly commands respect with players because of what he’s achieved in the game.”

The man himself, speaking back in 2018, said: “Yes for sure, I have dreamt of [managing Liverpool]. But first I have to prove myself and prepare. First I have to prove myself and to prepare but you know if I decide somewhere along the way to take my chances as a manager, my link, my commitment, my passion with Liverpool is there and, you know, why not? We will see if we can cross paths in our ways.”

As the outstanding candidate to replace Klopp later this year as things stand, those paths might yet cross sooner rather than later. And until then, you can be sure Liverpool will be watching over at Leverkusen, gradually forgetting about that game in 2002.

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Xabi Alonso leads Liverpool’s seven-manager shortlist in search for Jurgen Klopp replacement
Liverpool’s search for successor to Jurgen Klopp continues
Xabi Alonso leading contender but Reds want to hire new sporting director before a manager
Roberto De Zerbi, Ange Postecoglou and Julian Nagelsmann also on Liverpool’s shortlist

By Sean Walsh, Ben Jacobs | 4:00 AM GMT

Alonso is on Liverpool’s struggles
Alonso is on Liverpool’s struggles / Rene Nijhuis/MB Media/Getty Images
Liverpool have drawn up a shortlist of seven managers in their search for a successor to manager Jurgen Klopp, though are only just beginning the formal hiring process, 90min understands.

Klopp announced towards the end of January that he would be leaving Liverpool this summer, much to the shock of the footballing world.

Liverpool also have a sporting director vacancy to fill, and 90min understands the club would prefer to find a candidate here before turning their full attention to the manager situation with that hire on board. Nevertheless, the club have had two months to do their due diligence on Klopp’s replacement after he informed them of his decision privately in November.

Sources have confirmed to 90min that Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso is the early favourite and frontrunner for the manager’s job, though he is not guaranteed to get the gig due to the ongoing sporting director search.

Alonso would be interested in a return to Liverpool as manager, but he is currently focused on trying to deliver Leverkusen their first ever Bundesliga title – they moved five points clear at the top of the table with a 3-0 win against Bayern Munich on Saturday.

Thomas Tuchel, Xabi Alonso
Bayern like Alonso though are currently tied to Tuchel / Lars Baron/GettyImages
Liverpool are not the only former club of Alonso’s that are admirers of his work, with Real Madrid aware Carlo Ancelotti will not be around forever despite recently signing a new contract, while Thomas Tuchel’s future at Bayern has been called into question even if he is safe for now.

Alonso could also continue to build at Leverkusen, though 90min understands he is aware his success so far is in part down to the quality of players at his disposal, and the club are expected to sell at least two of their stars in the summer transfer window. Joining Liverpool this year instead of waiting another season for an offer from Madrid or Bayern could therefore suit the Spaniard.

Brighton & Hove Albion’s Roberto De Zerbi and Germany national team coach Julian Nagelsmann are also serious contenders, as is Tottenham Hotspur head coach Ange Postecoglou, who was a boyhood Liverpool fan. However, Spurs are completely relaxed about the Greek-Australian’s situation and believe he will stay – Postecoglou may even decline an interview if approached.

Sporting CP’s Ruben Amorim is admired by those upstairs at Anfield, but he is thought to be part of a wider search and not a leading contender at this stage due to his lack of experience in a top-five league. Aston Villa’s Unai Emery and Benfica’s Roger Schmidt have both been discussed internally at Liverpool.

Club legend Steven Gerrard had appeared to be making headway as a potential Klopp successor earlier in his managerial career after ending Rangers’ nine-year wait for a Scottish title in 2021 and making a decent start to life at Aston Villa upon his move to the West Midlands, but his stock has fallen and he is now at Saudi Pro League side Al Ettifaq. As such, he is not a contender to replace Klopp, but Liverpool would be in mind to offer him an interview out of respect if he were to ask for one.

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Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dominik Szoboszlai, Mohamed Salah – Liverpool injury news and return dates
Latest Liverpool injury news, including Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dominik Szoboszlai, Mohamed Salah

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ByPaul WheelockSport Content EditorKeifer MacDonaldNorth West Trends Writer
01:00, 14 FEB 2024
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Dominik Szoboszlai and Trent Alexander-Arnold during a Liverpool training session
Dominik Szoboszlai and Trent Alexander-Arnold during a Liverpool training session (Image: ( John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty Images))

Mohamed Salah looks set to be involved in Liverpool’s squad for Saturday’s Premier League trip to Brentford after making a return to team training on Tuesday.

The 31-year-old forward has been out of action since pulling up with a hamstring injury in Egypt’s 2-2 draw with Ghana on January 18. He hasn’t featured for Liverpool since the 4-2 thrashing of Newcastle United at Anfield on New Year’s Day.

Now, though, after returning to team training on Tuesday, he could make his first Reds appearance in six weeks at the G-Tech Community Stadium on Saturday.

READ MORE: Liverpool Notebook – FSG face new Anfield development question and Trent Alexander-Arnold injury wait

READ MORE: Xabi Alonso could face Liverpool problem as FSG change sights on new manager

However, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dominik Szoboszlai both look set to miss out. Here is the latest injury news.

MOST READ
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Mohamed Salah
If all goes well between now and Saturday, Salah should be part of Liverpool’s travelling contingent that takes to West London over the weekend. Salah took part in team training at Kirkby on Tuesday and was involved in rondos at the AXA Training Centre.

Should he return, it would be a timely boost for the Reds, who face Chelsea at Wembley in the 2024 League Cup just eight days later.

Expected return date: Brentford (A), February 17

Trent Alexander-Arnold
Alexander-Arnold is set for a race against the clock to be fit for the League Cup final later this month after Jurgen Klopp confirmed the defender had suffered a recurrence of the knee injury he sustained against Arsenal last month.

On Monday, the ECHO reported that Alexander-Arnold was still awaiting the result of a scan in the aftermath of being withdrawn at half-time against Burnley on Saturday.

The No.66 was, as expected, not involved in team training at the AXA Training Centre on Tuesday afternoon.

Expected return date: Unknown

Dominik Szoboszlai
The Hungarian midfielder has missed Liverpool’s last two matches with an aggravation of the hamstring injury that sidelined him after the Reds’ 4-2 win over Newcastle on New Year’s Day. Now, the number 8 is in a race against time to be fit for the Carabao Cup final against Chelsea on February 25.

Klopp said: “Dom is running outside at the moment, in the winter rain, and is not ready for tomorrow, of course not. Then we have to see. It’s like it always is with these tendon things; pretty quickly the player is pain-free, and then it’s all about… it’s muscle, [and] it’s pretty much the same that he had before.

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“That’s obviously really not good that he got that again. He didn’t feel a great issue, but when you see then the pictures, you just have to take him out and now we are fighting for days, if you want. Is it Brentford, is it the [Carabao Cup] final or is it after the final? I don’t know in the moment.”

Expected return date: Unknown

Thiago Alcantara
Midfielder Thiago had only just returned to first-team action after a lengthy spell out, but alas, he has already been reunited with his close friends in Liverpool’s medical team after picking up a new muscle problem against Arsenal.

Speaking in his press conference on Friday, Klopp said: “Thiago, obviously, is not cool. Everything looked absolutely fantastic in training. It’s a muscle issue; we don’t know the extent yet. We have to wait there a little bit, but it’s not cool, of course. It was really not good news for him, for us, for everybody. On top of losing the game already and having that is not good.

“Yes, [I expect him to play again this season], but we didn’t really think about that, in the moment we just treat the injury and get a full assessment done and knowing exactly where it came from. It’s just the normal procedure and it would not be a big story if he wouldn’t have been out for that long a time. That’s how it is. It’s not a big, big injury, definitely not, but it’s obviously something nobody needed.”

Expected return date: Unknown.

Stefan Bajcetic
Stefan Bajcetic has endured a frustrating period in his fledgling Anfield career after a number of injury problems. He enjoyed a strong debut campaign last season but saw it end prematurely after suffering a stress response in his adductor in March.

Bajcetic returned in September with outings in the Carabao Cup and Europa League, but his involvement against LASK Linz proved to be his last after suffering a calf issue. It remains unclear when he will return to full training.

Expected return date: Unknown

Joel Matip
Joel Matip is recovering from surgery after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury. The 32-year-old, who is in the final months of his contract at Liverpool, is likely to miss the rest of the season. The centre-back was left stricken in the 70th minute of the dramatic Premier League 4-3 win over Fulham in December after an off-the-ball inciden

Expected return date: Unknown

Ben Doak
Ben Doak is out long-term with a serious knee injury sustained playing for the under-21s. Assistant manager Pep Lijnders said of Doak’s condition: “That’s not a good one. He tore his lateral meniscus, which needs surgery.

“That one will take (a) longer time. He is young, he is a fit guy, he is a positive guy so for sure he will come back stronger, and we need him to come back with the same fire he has with the ball, how he was. We will wait for him.”

Expected return date: Unknown

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Man City could face Champions League ban as Liverpool can leave UEFA with decision
Manchester City could be banned from the Champions League next season due to a loophole involving Girona, who are partly owned by the City Football Group.

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ByJames FindlaterContent EditorShane Ireland
01:00, 14 FEB 2024
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Manchester City could be banned from next season’s Champions League if Liverpool finishes above them in the Premier League
Manchester City could be banned from next season’s Champions League if Liverpool finishes above them in the Premier League (Image: Getty Images)

Manchester City could be banned from the Champions League next season due to Girona’s success in La Liga. Girona, partly owned by City Football Group, has been a surprise hit in Spain this year, challenging for the La Liga title.

UEFA rules state that two clubs owned by the same group can’t compete in the same European competition, which could put both teams’ participation at risk.

If Girona qualifies for the Champions League and Arsenal and Liverpool finish above City in the Premier League, Pep Guardiola’s reigning champions could be kicked out of the competition. The i reports that UEFA are keeping a close eye on the relationship between City and Girona.

READ MORE: Training video hints at injury return as Liverpool and Arsenal ‘informed’ of ‘unhappy’ $86m star

READ MORE: Liverpool handed Mohamed Salah injury boost as Xabi Alonso just dropped Darwin Núñez hint

It comes after the Spanish side announced they would be selling 19-year-old winger Savio to City following an impressive season under head coach Michel. If both clubs qualify for the Champions League, City Football Group might be forced to reduce their stake in Girona.

This situation is similar to what happened with Aston Villa and Brighton when they reached the same European competition as sister teams Vitoria de Guimaraes and Royale Union Saint-Gilloise respectively. Manchester United could face a similar issue due to Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s 25 per cent purchase, as he also owns Ligue 1 side Nice.

UEFA’s Club Financial Control Body could scrutinize City’s involvement with Girona this summer if there’s a confirmed conflict of interest. Both clubs are at risk of losing their Champions League spots if no significant changes occur behind the scenes.

UEFA rules state one person or group can’t have major “control or influence” over more than one club competing in the same tournament. If an investigation agrees that individuals from City Football Group control both clubs and fail to tweak their business model, then only the team finishing higher in their domestic league will get the Champions League green light.

The other side would be obliged to battle it out in the Europa League. If by chance, Girona and City are equal in league position, the decision goes down to tape, and considering the coefficient, City might get ahead given their Champions League win last year.

However, if Girona overshadows the reigning Premier League champion, they’ll scoop up the Champions League place. Presently, Girona trails Real Madrid in second spot. City is hot on Liverpool’s heels, just two points shy of them with a match to spare, while Arsenal sits in third, currently level on points with City.

Liverpool.com says: Even with those rules in place, you just can’t see City getting kicked out of the Champions League, can you? Still, it does at least add another level of intrigue to the rest of the season, not that Liverpool needs any more incentive to finish ahead of its rival.

* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can read the original story in the Liverpool ECHO by clicking here.

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Report – Liverpool’s £50m-£60m offer will be accepted
February 13, 2024 Sahil 0 Comments newsnow
Liverpool have been heavily linked with Pedro Neto for quite some time and once again, the Portuguese international is in the lime light.

Back in October last year, reports indicated that the Reds are preparing to move in to lure the Seleccao playmaker from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

News – Liverpool move early, lead to agree signing of £98,000 a week boss – Report

Moreover, even last month, the 23-year-old star was linked with a move to Anfield.

According to a the latest update exclusively provided by Football Insider, a Liverpool offer worth £50m-£60m will be accepted by Wolves for Neto

The Merseysiders are looking for a long term replacement for Egyptian superstar, Mohamed Salah, and the former Braga attacker would be a quality signing.

Neto has missed eight Premier League games this term due to a hamstring injury but when fit, he has been in unstoppable form.

He is one of the fastest players in the top flight of English football and has consistently troubled the defenders with searing pace and dribbling.

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So far, the 5-capped Portuguese has started 15 games in all competitions for Wolves and directly contributed in 13 goals (3 goals and 10 assists).

Salah has netted 18 goals and provided 9 assists this season but is currently out with a hamstring injury.

Have your say – Is Pedro Neto good enough to replace the best playmaker at Anfield? Should Liverpool bid £50m-£60m to secure his signing in the summer transfer window?

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Jurgen Klopp gives three reasons he have to leave Liverpool this night open for full story 👇

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GUILLEM BALAGUE SHARES ‘SECRET’ ABOUT XABI ALONSO’S STANCE ON LIVERPOOL JOB

Olly Dawes
Tue 13 February 2024 19:00, UK
Updated Tue 13 February 2024 20:34, UK
Spanish football expert Guillem Balague claims that Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso has had one eye on the Liverpool job for a while.

Liverpool fans were going through a quiet January transfer window and probably weren’t expecting much in the way of significant news.

Well, up stepped Jurgen Klopp to announce that he would be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season.

Nobody saw this coming and Klopp will soon bring his time at Anfield to an end as he seeks a rest after more than eight years in the Reds dugout.

The attention remains firmly on the Premier League title race but Liverpool will also be eyeing up potential replacements for Klopp and one name keeps coming up…

Guillem Balague shares ‘secret’ on Xabi Alonso to Liverpool
Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso is the man in question having worked minor miracles since taking the job in 2022.

Leverkusen were at the wrong end of the Bundesliga table under Gerardo Seoane but now sit five points clear at the top of the table.

Saturday’s 3-0 thrashing of Bayern Munich showcased Leverkusen’s exceptional defence and their devastating attacking potential.

HITC Football understands that Alonso is the number one option inside Liverpool right now with Klopp heading out of the club.

Liverpool fans want Alonso and former Reds defender Jamie Carragher has already predicted that the Spaniard will replace Klopp.

A former Liverpool midfielder in his playing days, Alonso is the popular choice and it seems that he has long had an interest in the Anfield job.

Spanish football expert Guillem Balague has now told The Football News Show that there is a ‘secret’ plan in place between Alonso and his agent.

Balague claims that Alonso named Liverpool as one of three destinations he wanted if he succeeded at Leverkusen – Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

Photo by Inaki Esnaola/Getty Images
Alonso played for all three clubs in his playing days and it’s clear that the emotional pull of returning to one of them – or even multiple over the course of his career.

“I’ll tell you a little secret,” said Balague. “When he went to Bayer Leverkusen, he told his agent ‘do you know what, I am thinking that if it doesn’t go well at Bayer Leverkusen, I’ll go back to Real Sociedad. But if it goes well, from here, it’s Liverpool, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich.”

“Let me add Manchester City to the equation and that’s where Xabi Alonso could go next. When, is a different matter,” he added.

Hearing that Alonso has identified Liverpool as a potential destination is great news for the Reds, but it’s not all good.

Bayern boss Thomas Tuchel is under huge pressure and Real Madrid may see Alonso as the natural heir to Carlo Ancelotti.

Liverpool just have to hope that the timing works in their favour and that Alonso picks a move to Anfield at the end of the season.

MORE: £18m man not ruling out Southampton return as he shares Premier League dream

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This is what Bruno Guimaraes said about a potential Liverpool move
Daryl Finch
59 MINS AGO
DARYL FINCH
Amid reported interest from Liverpool and other top clubs across Europe, Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimaraes has reaffirmed his commitment to his current side, Newcastle United, despite concerns over the club’s financial situation.

Guimaraes, who joined Newcastle in 2022 from Lyon for a reported £40 million fee, has been instrumental in the club’s recent success, notably helping them to finish fourth in the Premier League last season and seal Champions League qualification after a two-decade hiatus.

In a bid to stave off interest from the likes of Liverpool, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Manchester City and Chelsea, the Magpies tied down Guimaraes to a new five-year deal back in October.

However, it has since emerged that Newcastle may be forced to sell players to avoid breaching financial fair play rules. As a result, interest in the 26-year-old has been reignited.

IN IT FOR THE LONG HAUL
Now, in light of persistent rumours linking him with a move away from St James’ Park, Guimaraes has made it clear that he intends to stay with Newcastle for the long haul.

After Newcastle’s thrilling 3-2 victory over Nottingham Forest on Saturday night, the Brazilian addressed the ongoing speculation surrounding his future in an interview with Sky Sports, saying: “Sometimes people speak a lot about me. I just speak a lot about football. I’m very happy here and I like how the fans think of me here.”

“I enjoy my time here. The fans have been unbelievable for me and my family. I hope this can keep going for a long time.”

The midfielder then left it in no doubt about where his focus remained: “Let the people speak. We have to get Europe again, try for Champions League. I know it’s difficult but definitely [we are aiming] for Europa League.”

Despite already strengthening their midfield with the likes of Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo in the summer, Liverpool continue to be linked with a number of midfielders from around the round.

In Guimaraes, they would be getting themselves a player that is proven at the highest level. But whether admiration ultimately turns into concrete interest will hinge on who replaces Jurgen Klopp in the dugout this summer.

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The unique stat that shows why Brentford away is Liverpool’s bogey ground
3 SECONDS AGO // DARYL FINCH
THE UNIQUE STAT THAT SHOWS WHY BRENTFORD AWAY IS LIVERPOOL’S BOGEY GROUND
What is Liverpool Legends?
2 HOURS AGO // PETER STAUNTON
WHAT IS LIVERPOOL LEGENDS?
Liverpool given manager boost as Barcelona rule out highly rated contender
3 HOURS AGO // PETER STAUNTON
LIVERPOOL GIVEN MANAGER BOOST AS BARCELONA RULE OUT HIGHLY RATED CONTENDER
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Danny Murphy names one problem with all candidates to replace Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager
3 HOURS AGO // ARJUN SUBRAMANIAN
DANNY MURPHY NAMES ONE PROBLEM WITH ALL CANDIDATES TO REPLACE JURGEN KLOPP AS LIVERPOOL MANAGER
Liverpool’s talisman one of four players back in training ahead of Brentford clash
4 HOURS AGO // DARYL FINCH
LIVERPOOL’S TALISMAN ONE OF FOUR PLAYERS BACK IN TRAINING AHEAD OF BRENTFORD CLASH
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What is Liverpool Legends?
WHAT IS LIVERPOOL LEGENDS?
2 HOURS AGO // PETER STAUNTON
Liverpool given manager boost as Barcelona rule out highly rated contender
LIVERPOOL GIVEN MANAGER BOOST AS BARCELONA RULE OUT HIGHLY RATED CONTENDER
3 HOURS AGO // PETER STAUNTON
Danny Murphy names one problem with all candidates to replace Jurgen Klopp as Liverpool manager
DANNY MURPHY NAMES ONE PROBLEM WITH ALL CANDIDATES TO REPLACE JURGEN KLOPP AS LIVERPOOL MANAGER
3 HOURS AGO // ARJUN SUBRAMANIAN
Liverpool’s talisman one of four players back in training ahead of Brentford clash
LIVERPOOL’S TALISMAN ONE OF FOUR PLAYERS BACK IN TRAINING AHEAD OF BRENTFORD CLASH
4 HOURS AGO // DARYL FINCH
Liverpool highest ever Anfield attendances after Reds break 75-year-old record
LIVERPOOL HIGHEST EVER ANFIELD ATTENDANCES AFTER REDS BREAK 75-YEAR-OLD RECORD
5 HOURS AGO // ALEX CAPLE
Brentford v Liverpool preview: team news, kick-off, referee & TV
BRENTFORD V LIVERPOOL PREVIEW: TEAM NEWS, KICK-OFF, REFEREE & TV
6 HOURS AGO // PETER STAUNTON
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‘All contracts ready’: Fabrizio Romano drops breaking transfer news story ahead of summer window – Rival Watch
NEWS TRANSFER RUMOURS
Posted by Wash N’Gog2 hours ago
‘All contracts ready’: Fabrizio Romano drops breaking transfer news story ahead of summer window – Rival Watch
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