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Liverpool to lose three more influential figures after Jurgen Klopp announces departure
Jurgen Klopp has confirmed he's leaving Liverpool at the end of the season.
Pepijn Lijnders, Peter Krawietz and Vitor Matos will join Jurgen Klopp in leaving Liverpool at the end of the season. The German boss left fans stunned on Friday morning when he confirmed he would be departing Anfield at the end of the season, having been at the club since December 2015.
In an emotional statement to Liverpool's official website, Klopp said: "Yeah, I have to [explain]. I will leave the club at the end of the season. I can understand that it's a shock for a lot of people in this moment when you hear it for the first time, but obviously, I can explain it, or at least try to explain it.
"I love absolutely everything about this club. I love everything about the city. I love everything about our supporters, I love the team. I love the staff. I love everything.
"That I still take this decision, it shows you that I'm convinced it's one I have to take. It is that I am how can I say this? I'm running out of energy."
A message to Liverpool supporters from Jürgen Klopp. pic.twitter.com/l7rtmxgOzt
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 26, 2024
And the hammer blow has now been exacerbated further with confirmation that Lijnders, Krawietz and Matos will depart with him. Dutch coach Linders has served as Klopp's assistant since 2018 and had been widely touted as an eventual replacement for the current manager.
However, he will now reportedly seek his own management career elsewhere. Before heading to Anfield, Linders was manager of NEC in his homeland but was sacked after failing to win promotion to the Eredivisie.
Klopp had not won a trophy on Merseyside before teaming up with Linders. He's since overseen glory in the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup, along with European Super Cup and World Club Cup success.
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Krawietz, meanwhile, arrived with Klopp in 2015 and has been an integral part of the coaching staff ever since. Matos has served as an elite development coach since switching from Porto in October 2019.
The Reds will now target a glorious send-off for the quartet, with Liverpool currently top of the Premier League and through to a League Cup final with Chelsea on February 25. They also remain in both the Europa League and FA Cup.