Liverpool news: Jurgen Klopp signs new contract until 2022

Klopp has signed a four-year extension just nine months after arriving at the club

Jack de Menezes
Friday 08 July 2016 09:56 BST
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Liverpool have confirmed that manager Jurgen Klopp has signed a new contract with the club, just nine months after arriving at Anfield, with his four-year extension running until 2022.

Klopp's initial contract was due to run out in 2018 after signing a two-and-a-half year deal upon his arrival last October when he replaced Brendan Rodgers. But after impressing the Liverpool owners, Fenway Sports Group, talks began this summer over an extensions and an agreement has been reached in rapid time to see the German extend his stay on Merseyside.

With talks initiated by Fenway, Klopp and his coaching staff have been rewarded for their impressive start to life in the Premier League, having taken Liverpool to the Europa League final and helping to develop a number of young players when injury forced Klopp’s hand to call on the academy. Liverpool have also confirmed that Klopp’s coaches, Zeljko Buvac and Peter Krawietz, have also signed new contracts.

“It’s hard to express in words how honoured myself, Zeljko and Peter feel by the commitment shown in us by the ownership and the club in general,” Klopp told www.liverpoolfc.com.

“We are very much at the beginning of our journey, but to already have the connection we have with this very special place is incredible.

“I am the first to recognise that with this great commitment comes a great responsibility. All of our coaching careers we have looked to make teams and clubs better, with the ultimate goal of making the supporters proud and happy.

“To do this we have to make sure we always put player and team development at the heart of every major decision. It is my job to lead that and ensure every element of the LFC football environment reflects the best practices in the game. It is fantastic that the club’s ownership is just as committed to this as we are.”

Klopp also spoke not of the need to win trophies urgently, but of the requirement to continue to grow and develop the squad while ensuring the qualities of Liverpool Football Club remain true, labelling the “family” culture at the club of great importance.

“There is much to do and much to achieve and we look to do this by being the most completely together group anywhere in the world. That’s everyone and we all have responsibility for it - all of us who are part of this LFC family: players, staff, ownership and of course the supporters,” Klopp added.

“By being together at all times, we will be stronger, better and our successes sweeter.”

Klopp's exhuberance on the sidelines has already made him a fan favourite (Getty)

Principal owner John Henry, chairman Tom Werner and FSG president Mike Gordon were all delighted to confirm Klopp’s new contract, and issued a joint statement to express their happiness with the German’s commitment to the club despite only arriving in the last year.

“When you have an individual of Jürgen’s quality in the building it makes perfect sense to secure that person for the long term. To not do so would be irresponsible.

“The overriding motivation behind this decision is Jürgen’s commitment to overall improvement and development. In Jürgen we have someone who is always looking ahead, always looking beyond his own wants and needs and putting the club first.

“The ideas and plans he has for the football infrastructure excite us and we believe it benefits the organisation to have Jürgen committed to Liverpool for a sustained period, to make sure he is here to oversee this development. By making this commitment to him, we are taking away any future distractions or doubt. We will move forward in partnership together, with confidence in each other and with the club’s future at the forefront of every decision.

“He is a world-class managerial talent and his leadership will be critical to everything we hope to achieve in the years ahead.”

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