James Pearce revealed that Liverpool could seriously consider Pep Lijnders as Jurgen Klopp’s long-term successor at Anfield.
There’s a strong possibility that Klopp is going to quit as Liverpool manager during the summer of 2024.
And Lijnders, his assistant, is a ‘serious option‘ to replace the legendary German, according to Pearce who exclusively covers the Reds at The Athletic.
Here’s what Klopp said about the 39-year-old Dutchman once upon a time, describing him as a ‘fantastic coach’.
He told the Merseyside outfit’s official website: “He’s a fantastic person and a fantastic coach, so it’s really important that we have him back and I’m really looking forward to working together with him.”
Experience
Lijnders hasn’t got a huge amount of managerial experience.
This is his second stint on Liverpool’s coaching staff after spending the second half of the 2017-18 campaign as NEC Nijmegen manager.
So to go from that – and being Klopp’s number two – to an enormous job like the Reds one, well it would be one hell of a gamble by Fenway Sports Group.
That being said, Michael Edwards has also been a colossus of a sporting director and the Anfield outfit are hiring from within to replace him too, with Julian Ward replacing him this summer.
So it isn’t unthinkable for Liverpool to repeat that feat in two-and-a-half years by hiring Lijnders.
If he has the backing of Klopp, the supporters must trust that.
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