Jurgen Klopp: How significant is Liverpool boss' contract extension?

Jurgen Klopp has guided Liverpool to a Premier League, a Champions League and a Carabao Cup since taking over in 2015, as well as the Club World Cup and Uefa Super Cup

Liverpool are almost on a good news overload as they chase immortality and a historic quadruple but the announcement that manager Jurgen Klopp has extended his Anfield contract may just be the best yet.

Klopp's Liverpool are on course to reach their third Champions League final under his leadership after a controlled 2-0 win against Villarreal in the first leg of their last four-tie, and have already won the Carabao Cup this season.

Add to this, they will play Chelsea in the FA Cup final at Wembley in May and stand only one point behind leaders and reigning champions Manchester City in pursuit of their second Premier League title under the charismatic German.

It is not stretching reality to suggest none of this would have been possible without Klopp's transformative impact since he succeeded sacked Brendan Rodgers in October 2015.

Klopp's decision to confirm his intention to stay at Liverpool to 2026, setting up the Premier League's longest-serving manager for a decade-long tenure at Anfield, is even more of a cause for celebration because only a few weeks ago he was talking once more about fulfilling his pledge to complete his current contract until 2024 and then walk away.

He said in March: "The plan at the moment is to get to 2024 then, 'thank you very much'."

Klopp has clearly thought again, no doubt helped by the world-class team he has assembled that is currently trying to achieve a feat not even the great Liverpool teams of the past were able to complete, namely a stunning clean sweep of all four major trophies.

Once Klopp indicated he might be open to altering his plans, Liverpool moved with lightning speed to ensure he put pen to paper. He is that important. In fact, in the current Liverpool set-up he is irreplaceable.

It comes after Klopp was allowed time and patience to renew, taking Liverpool to the Champions League final in 2018, where they lost to Real Madrid, before winning it against Tottenham the following year, then adding the long-awaited first league title in 30 years in 2019-20.

Liverpool's current crop are drawing favourable comparisons with every Anfield team of the past, although they still need to confirm that status by adding to the League Cup won against Chelsea at Wembley.

Klopp's leadership and management, adored by the Kop and a source of inspiration to his players, means this four-trophy haul comes closer into view with every victory.

Manchester City are the most likely obstacle in the league and Champions League and while Chelsea will provide formidable opposition in the FA Cup final, Klopp has injected Liverpool's players and fans with such belief and fervour that what was regarded as an impossibility for so long is now possible.

The question marks over Klopp's long-term future beyond 2024 provided the only cloud on Liverpool's horizon but now this has been removed everyone connected with club will be overjoyed.

Klopp looked tired at stages last season as football was played out behind closed doors amid the pandemic, the crowd involvement he loves at Anfield lost and perhaps reflected in the worst home run in the club's history in six successive Premier League defeats.

This season, he has been re-energised, helped by the return of the world's best central defender, Virgil van Dijk, following the serious knee injury that ruled him out of almost all of last term.

It is easy to see why Klopp will not be walking away any time soon. What he has built and put in place offers the prospect of a glorious future.

In tandem with his trusted back-up team and the structures developed by owners FSG, Klopp not only has a team for now but has shrewdly built for years ahead.

For so long, Liverpool's attacking trio of Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah were the centrepiece of the intense, pressing, front-foot style that has always been Klopp's modus operandi.

They are still there, although Salah's contract remains an issue, but Klopp has brought in the prolific Diogo Jota from Wolves. Liverpool also pulled off another masterstroke in January by signing the electrifying Colombian winger Luis Diaz from Porto under the noses of Spurs.

Ibrahima Konate has been an outstanding defensive addition from RB Leipzig while Thiago Alcantara is now fit and at his best following an indifferent first season at Liverpool when he was troubled by issues of fitness and form.

Firmino does not figure quite so often these days while 36-year-old James Milner has been a peripheral figure, albeit still hugely influential within the squad.

Liverpool's manager has produced a phased evolution from one outstanding team into another.

The familiar building blocks of goalkeeper Alisson, Van Dijk, towering midfield man Fabinho and others such as captain Jordan Henderson and full-backs Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson are locked in for the long haul. But the face and shape of the squad is also changing.

Klopp can oversee golden days ahead with Liverpool's younger generation, as Harvey Elliott has already proved his class while Fulham's brilliant teenager Fabio Carvalho is scheduled to arrive at the end of the season.

Sporting director Michael Edwards has played a key role in putting the pieces together. He leaves in the summer but Julian Ward is being promoted from within and has a close relationship with Klopp.

Klopp is now the next manager likely to build a dynasty at a club in the manner of Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United and Arsene Wenger at Arsenal.

He, self-evidently, cannot match their trophy haul or anywhere near their longevity yet but Klopp's extended presence at Liverpool - to 2026 at least under the terms of his new contract - is as much of a guarantee of success as it gets.

Klopp weighs contract decisions very carefully. He does not sign long-term deals unless he has the full intention of honouring them so the fact he is pretty much certain to be at Liverpool for another four years has resulted in understandable rejoicing from fans, players and everyone inside Anfield.

The logic is simple common sense and beyond argument.

Jurgen Klopp built it. Why walk away from it?

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