Jürgen Klopp has stunned Liverpool and the world of football by announcing he is to leave the club at the end of the season. The 56-year-old attributed his shock decision to “running out of energy”.
Klopp has been Liverpool manager since 2015 and is under contract until 2026 but, in an announcement via the club’s media channel, has revealed he will stand down two years early.
Jürgen Klopp to step down as Liverpool manager at end of season
Klopp said he had told the owners in November of his intention to leave. “I can understand that it’s a shock for a lot of people in this moment, when you hear it for the first time, but obviously I can explain it – or at least try to explain it,” Klopp said.
“I love absolutely everything about this club, I love everything about the city, I love everything about our supporters, I love the team, I love the staff. I love everything. But that I still take this decision shows you that I am convinced it is the one I have to take.
“It is that I am, how can I say it, running out of energy. I have no problem now, obviously, I knew it already for longer that I will have to announce it at one point, but I am absolutely fine now. I know that I cannot do the job again and again and again and again.
“After the years we had together and after all the time we spent together and after all the things we went through together, the respect grew for you, the love grew for you and the least I owe you is the truth – and that is the truth.”
Liverpool reached the Carabao Cup final this week, are top of the Premier League and could end the season with four trophies. Klopp, who has won six major trophies at the club, recalled a moment that helped to crystallise his thinking.
“When we sat there together talking about potential signings, the next summer camp and can we go wherever, the thought came up, ‘I am not sure I am here then anymore’ and I was surprised myself by that. I obviously start thinking about it.
“It didn’t start [then], but of course last season was kind of a super-difficult season and there were moments when at other clubs probably the decision would have been, ‘Come on, thank you very much for everything but probably we should split here, or end it here.’ That didn’t happen here, obviously. For me it was super, super, super-important that I can help to bring this team back onto the rails.”