MY ACCOUNT
Jurgen Klopp does not expect news of his new Liverpool contract to have any bearing on the futures of star duo Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane.
It was confirmed on Thursday Klopp had agreed a two-year extension to his deal at Anfield, meaning he has committed to Liverpool until 2026.
Egypt forward Salah is soon to enter the final 12 months of his deal and this month described the situation as “really sensitive”.
Mane’s is also out of contract in 2023 and reports have naturally suggested the focus for Liverpool is now on securing the futures of their best players have tied Klopp down for the foreseeable future.
But Klopp does not necessarily think there is a link between his own long-term plans and those of Salah and Mane.
“That’s more a question for the boys to be honest, what it means to them,” Klopp told a news conference ahead of Liverpool’s Premier League clash with Newcastle United.
“It’s fine, my relationship with both is great. In life there are always more things to think about, not only the manger, the coaching staff.
“We don’t know exactly, there’s no 100 per cent in this business but it’s pretty likely I’ll stay for a while. I think everything is clear in this moment.
“If it’s a positive sign for the boys then great. I don’t think that will be the one decisive thing.
“They have to make their own decisions in life, it’s good. We just have to make sure everyone who wants to be here can know what to expect.”
Klopp had previously suggested his old deal, which would have ended in 2024, would be his last at Liverpool.
Asked to explain what changed, he replied: “The main reason for it, I signed the last contract I thought it would be like this [his last deal].
“An idea, a plan would have been [to stay] a long time, [it would have been] eight years in 2024. I thought that will be it
“You [the media] ask me things and I give an answer, what I said I thought it would be it to be honest. I didn’t think about it anymore to be honest that’s the truth.
“You ask from time to time, the plan didn’t change yet. The plan changed, that’s all.”
Klopp believes the timing of the news can offer stability to Liverpool, not only now but for further down the line when he eventually does depart the club.
“We want to try and make this club successful for as long as possible, if not forever. That doesn’t mean I will be here forever of course,” he said.
“It is done early. And it’s good for transfer windows. We cannot guarantee success, but we can guarantee stability which in difficult times is a big thing to guarantee.
“For me, at this moment in time, this is the place to be. This club offers a lot, we are building a stand again and it’s a sign we never want to stop developing.
“This is no threat, but this is only the start. We really go for it now.
“We can’t wait 10 years to make memories. We have to do it now. We have to enjoy the journey. We don’t know if we will win anything. But at the moment, we try to squeeze everything out of this season that is possible.”
“The last two years were really hard because corona dominated our lives, we thought it was over then ‘the other guy’ [Vladimir Putin – a reference to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine] put us in trouble. So, we have to cherish these moments.”
