Klopp gets Liverpool contract promise as chairman makes FSG vow

Jurgen Klopp has been told he can stay at Liverpool “for as long as he likes” as chairman Tom Werner has vowed to oversee a golden era of trophy success on Merseyside.

The Reds go head to head with Tottenham in Madrid on Saturday night for the right to be crowned champions of Europe – you can read our comprehensive guide to the Champions League final right here.

Werner and the club’s owner John W Henry have arrived in the Spanish capital ahead of the showpiece and, speaking in a comprehensive interview with the Liverpool Echo, Werner has admitted this season has exceeded all their expectations as he also laid out the club’s plans for the future and the immediate task of making up for last season’s Champions League final heartache.

“We saw the players after the final last year and you could see how much that defeat hurt,” Werner told the ECHO.

“I thought we played as well as Real Madrid until the unfortunate injury to Mohamed Salah. When you leave Kiev after a night like that, you wonder when will you return to another final?

“It’s such a challenge to get that far. We certainly never expected that we would come back to the final again in the very next season.

“I don’t think LFC have done that since the mid-1980s. To be back so quickly is wonderful but we haven’t accomplished the goal we set out to achieve yet and that’s to win.

“You don’t get a lot of roses for coming in second. Our focus is on bringing that trophy back to Liverpool this year.”

FSG completed their £300m takeover of Liverpool back in 2010 and since then, the club has made enormous strides on and off the field.

“It’s been a period of constant progress and it’s been a real pleasure to watch the continual improvement of the team,” Werner continued.

“It’s been a wonderful time for the club. I remember when we locked in our position as one of the top four teams qualifying for the Champions League for next season, some people almost took it for granted because our goal really all year was to actually win the league.

“We are extremely proud of what the whole team at LFC have accomplished.

“Our philosophy is rooted in the belief that when there is an atmosphere where people are empowered to work together as a team, great things can happen.

“Obviously, it starts with Jurgen and his outstanding leadership. That’s critical to everything that we’ve achieved this year.

“Jurgen also is surrounded by a number of extremely talented people in the football organisation such as Michael Edwards (sporting director), Barry Hunter (chief scout), Dave Fallows (head of recruitment) and Pep Lijnders (assistant manager) and many others.”

Klopp’s current deal runs until 2022, with the Reds having already extended his deal at Anfield, and Werner insists that while now is not the time to talk about a new deal, he says he hopes the German knows how valued he is.

“We don’t really want to discuss his situation publicly, especially so close to the final,” Werner said.

“But I think you know that we think the world of him. We have already extended his contract once.

“All I can say is that it’s obviously important that he stays for as long as he likes. We believe that he’s committed to Liverpool.”

 

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