Liverpool (Reuters)
Liverpool announced on Thursday that coach Jurgen Klopp has extended his contract for two more years to stay at Anfield until 2026, giving the club a huge morale boost ahead of a crucial period of the season in which it is competing for an unprecedented quartet of titles.
In a statement, Liverpool confirmed that assistant coaches Pep Linders and Peter Kravitz had also extended their contracts with the English club.
Klopp, who joined Liverpool from Borussia Dortmund in October 2015, said last March that he would stay at the club beyond the end of his previous contract, which expired in 2024, if he had the energy to do so.
After signing the new contract, Klopp said the team’s vitality encouraged him to extend.
He added, “There are so many words I can use to describe what I’m feeling right now… happiness, humility, gratitude, excellence and enthusiasm among many.” During my long time here I have sensed how much the club’s owners care and are passionate about the team and it is now clear that they care just as much about his future. There are so many things that I love about this place. I knew what awaited me before coming here and my love and understanding of the nature of things at the club increased after my arrival and now I know him more than ever.
The 54-year-old, who has won five titles in the seven years since his move from Dortmund to Merseyside, led Liverpool to the Champions League, Club World Cup and European Super Cup in 2019 before winning the Premier League the following year.
Liverpool, who won the League Cup in February, are still on track to win a historic quartet of titles this season.
The team is currently ranked second in the English Premier League, and beat Villarreal of Spain 2-0 in the first leg of the semi-finals of the Champions League, and will play with Chelsea in the FA Cup final.
Klopp said: “Any healthy relationship has to be two-way and we have to be at the service of each other. It was the good relationship between us that made me move here in the first place and that is why I extended my contract earlier. The club is steadily moving in the right direction and we have a clear idea of how we are trying to achieve that and this is always a great starting point.
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