Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has hinted at the possibility that he may leave the club at the end of the 2021/22 season when his contract expires.
Klopp’s Reds won the Champions League last season and are making another push at Premier League title glory this year, having missed out to Manchester City in the last campaign by one point.
Liverpool’s owners Fenway Sports Group want to tie the German down to a new long-term contract, but that may be difficult, if Klopp’s latest comments are anything to read into.
The former Borussia Dortmund boss has not ruled out the possibility of taking a managerial hiatus at the end of his current Liverpool deal.
“It looks like it. Who can now say if he can give it his all in three years’ time?” he told Kicker when asked about taking a sabbatical.
“If I decide for myself that I can’t go on anymore, I’ll take a break and in that year I’d have to make a definite decision [over my career].
“I have absolute energy, but I have one problem; I can’t do ‘a little bit.’ I can only do ‘all or nothing.’
“But the chances are very high that my energy levels will go up again [after a year’s break], and that I can then do the job the way I want to.”
Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard, who currently manages Rangers, would appear to be the frontrunner to take over Klopp’s post, should the 52-year-old call time on his Anfield stint.
And ex-Reds goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek believes Gerrard is the only name who can come in and replace a manager like Klopp.
“When I was in Liverpool recently, it was no secret that Steven is the man and indeed, only candidate for replacing Klopp when he decides his time at Anfield is over,” Dudek told Przeglad Sportowy.
“Everyone knows that sooner or later the great captain will return.”
“He is ideally suited to it because he was a great leader and as a captain, he brilliantly managed our dressing room.”
Liverpool have won all three of their Premier League games this season and remain the only side with a 100 per cent record.