Liverpool players 'select preferred candidate for new manager' (1 Viewer)

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Liverpool players have reportedly already picked out their preferred successor to Jurgen Klopp as the club's next head coach. It's been almost two months since Klopp announced he'd be leaving this summer, ending his successful nine-year tenure.

Since Klopp took over from Brendan Rodgers in 2015, Liverpool has seen significant success, including winning the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, EFL Cup, Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and Community Shield.

However, Klopp informed the club's hierarchy last November that he plans to step down at the end of the season due to feeling drained, intending to take a year-long break before deciding on his next career move. Several promising coaches have been linked with replacing him, notably Bayer Leverkusen's Xabi Alonso, who's been a top candidate.

Despite interest from other clubs like Bayern Munich, Barcelona, and Real Madrid, Liverpool is considering Sporting Lisbon's Ruben Amorim as an alternative. Yet, according to talkSPORT's Alan Brazil and Dean Saunders, the Liverpool squad favors assistant coach Lijnders to take over. Brazil mentioned,

"I am told the players wouldn't mind the number two, Pep taking over," a sentiment echoed by Saunders.

Despite player support for Lijnders, it's confirmed that he'll also leave when the current season ends. Lijnders has been with Liverpool for almost 10 years, starting as a youth coach in 2014 before becoming an assistant to Rodgers and then Klopp.

Although he briefly managed NEC Nijmegen, Lijnders returned to Liverpool in 2018. Despite rumors linking him to Ajax, Lijnders is committed to seeing out the season with Liverpool.