A summer of turmoil awaits at Anfield. No sporting director or manager could make transfer business tricky, plus there are uncertain futures for several key players and staff members going into next season.
Jurgen Klopp sent shockwaves through the football world on Friday when he announced his pending departure from Liverpool, with several key figures set to follow him out of the door such as right-hand men Pep Lijnders, Peter Krawietz and Vitor Matos.
Matos and Lijnders especially will have no shortage of offers from clubs on the continent. More worrying for Liverpool is the exit of sporting director Jorg Schmadtke next week. The German leaving is no huge surprise but it sparks uncertainty ahead of the summer transfer window.
Fitness coach Andreas Kornmayer and goalkeeping guru John Achterberg have not announced their departures but the turbulence ahead leaves the pair with unclear futures. A new manager is likely to demand their own coaching team.
Mail Sport reported on Sunday that Bournemouth technical director Richard Hughes is emerging as a candidate for the sporting director role in the summer. The former midfielder joined the Cherries under Eddie Howe and was later promoted to technical director.
Jurgen Klopp shocked world football on Friday when he announced he would be stepping down at the end of the season
The news has floored Liverpool fans, who paid tribute to the German ahead of their FA Cup clash with Norwich at Anfield on Sunday
Sporting director Jorg Schmadtke will also leave Liverpool next week in a period of change for the club
Liverpool are in the process of drawing up shortlists for summer targets, and they have scouted a number of players, but stealing a march on rival clubs to new signings could prove tricky without clarity over the Reds’ long-term plans.
One source, who has worked in the recruitment department at a number of big teams in England and around Europe, tells Mail Sport that this uncertainty could see selling clubs and agents try to exploit Liverpool’s situation to get a better deal.
Even if they wanted to make any signings in the last days of the January transfer window – this is not the case but could have come to fruition if a rival made strides to sign a summer target – Liverpool would be in an awkward position with no long-term future currently mapped out.
And these uncertainties are likely to filter down to current players, too….