Liverpool's 'seven-man' list to replace Klopp contains Premier League trio & surprise name

Liverpool's hierarchy have compiled a seven-man shortlist for Jurgen Klopp’s replacement, according to one report.

Klopp shocked the football world in January when he announced his intention to step down from his position at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, sparking immediate speculation over who could replace him. 

Having joined in 2015, Klopp has helped re-establish the Reds as one of the top European clubs and gained every major honour including the 2019 Champions League and the Premier League title in 2020. 

Whoever steps into the breach will have a job on his hands with Liverpool also confirming the impending departures of a number of first-team staff along with Klopp. 

Assistant manager Pep Lijnders, Klopp’s trusted lieutenant Peter Krawietz and Elite Development Coach Vitor Matos will all leave their posts at the end of the campaign. 

Furthermore, Liverpool are looking for a new sporting director with Jorg Schmadtke having left his job after the January transfer window. 

The report, in 90min, claims the Reds' FSG ownership are intent on hiring for that position before finalising their managerial search. Dan Ashworth, Paul Mitchell, Tim Steidten and Richard Hughes have all been mentioned as possible incomings for that job. 

The new sporting director will therefore have input on the new manager call with 90min also claiming to know the identities of the men on the shortlist.

At number one is Xabi Alonso, who is widely seen as the frontrunner to succeed Klopp and is admired for the manner in which he has transformed Bayer Leverkusen from Bundesliga basement dwellers to champions-elect. 

The other contenders

Also on the list are familiar names in Roberto de Zerbi of Brighton, as well as Germany national team boss Julian Nagelsmann. 

Ange Postecoglou of Tottenham is another name jotted down. However, it has been previously reported that Spurs have no doubts he will remain at the club long term, despite his boyhood Liverpool fandom. 

Ruben Amorim is also a target, albeit one with a €20m (£17m) release clause, and he has been a title winner with Sporting CP. Aston Villa’s Unai Emery is also admired, as is Benfica’s Roger Schmidt — a name rarely mentioned elsewhere in talk of potential candidates.

The 56-year-old former midfielder won the Portuguese league title with Benfica in 2023 and also has trophy wins in Austria, China and the Netherlands on his CV. 

The report also makes mention of Kop legend Steven Gerrard. He was seen as Klopp’s successor back in his Rangers days, when he won the Scottish league title, but his managerial career has stalled following a poor spell at Aston Villa and he is managing in relative obscurity at Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ettifaq.

He would, according to the report, be granted the courtesy of an interview were he to request the opportunity to speak with his former employers.