Report: New Jurgen Klopp Deal 'A Priority' for Liverpool Owners After UCL Win
June 3, 2019
Liverpool's owners are reportedly planning to sign manager Jurgen Klopp to a new contract after the Reds' triumph in the UEFA Champions League final on Saturday.
Goals from Mohamed Salah and Divock Origi saw the Reds to a 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid (U.S. only):
Liverpool have now won the European Cup six times, a record that puts them behind only Real Madrid (13) and AC Milan (seven).
It was the Merseyside outfit's first trophy since the 2012 League Cup, and Klopp's first as Liverpool manager.
He took over in October 2015 and penned a six-year contract extension to 2022 in July 2016.
After a phenomenal 2018-19 campaign in which Liverpool not only won the Champions League but pushed Manchester City all the way in the Premier League title race, Liverpool's owners, Fenway Sports Group, now want to reward Klopp with an improved deal, according to Andy Hunter of the Guardian.
It is reportedly "a priority" for FSG to get Klopp signed to improved terms—his current deal is worth £7 million per year—past 2022.
Winning the Premier League is likely now the main aim for Klopp and Liverpool as they look to end the club's league title drought that stretches back to 1990.
They came closer than ever to breaking their duck in 2018-19 as they won 97 points and lost just one match:
Unfortunately for Liverpool, they came up against Pep Guardiola's City side, arguably the best outfit the Premier League has ever seen.
However, Liverpool now unquestionably have the squad to compete again for the title next season following consistently impressive work in the transfer market under Klopp.
When Liverpool previously came second in the Premier League in 2008-09 and 2013-14, there was little confidence they could compete again in the following seasons.
And so it proved, as on both occasions they subsequently dropped out the top four in the next campaign.
That does not look like happening in 2019-20, as while Liverpool may boast a little less quality than City, they have a significantly stronger squad than Chelsea, Spurs, Arsenal and Manchester United, as well as a phenomenal manager.