A manager who adopts a “similar” playing style to Jurgen Klopp could become Liverpool’s next boss this summer, according to Reds legend Jamie Carragher.
Liverpool looking for Jurgen Klopp successor
The Merseysiders are flying high in the Premier League, still topping the table after their 4-1 win away to Brentford on Saturday lunchtime, but it is still impossible to ignore the imminent exit of Klopp.
The legendary German has confirmed that he will leave Anfield at the end of the season, following eight-and-a-half years as manager, in a decision that has left Liverpool supporters both heartbroken and stunned.
The search is now on to find the perfect successor, which is going to be an incredibly difficult task, and Xabi Alonso is the current front-runner to come in. His Bayer Leverkusen side are now eight points clear of Bayern Munich at the top of the Bundesliga, and his past as a Reds player makes him an even more popular option.
The 42-year-old is far from the only contender to be Liverpool’s next boss, however, with Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi linked with a switch to Anfield, as well as Sporting CP leader Ruben Amorim.
Carragher reveals surprise candidate
Speaking to The Redmen TV [via Empire of the Kop], Carragher name-checked Benfica manager Roger Schmidt as an option to replace Klopp this summer, following something he has “heard”.
“There’s the guy at Benfica that I’ve heard mentioned, Roger Schmidt. Who I think has got that link to the sort of Red Bull school. I think when people are mentioning him, it’s almost sort of the style is similar to Klopp’s style, so you think, ‘okay, would that be a good fit and would you have to change that much?'”
Schmidt could be an intriguing option for Liverpool. The 56-year-old is now an extremely experienced manager, winning the Primeira Liga title with Benfica in 2022/23, and also tasting Austrian league glory during his time with RB Salzburg back in 2013/14, highlighting his longevity.
The fact that Carragher mentioned Schmidt’s playing style drawing comparisons with Klopp’s could also mean that a move for him makes sense, with the Benfica boss known for adopting a 4-2-3-1 system, which certainly isn’t dissimilar to how Liverpool set up, albeit with a bit more emphasis on controlling the base of midfield.
He likes to press from the front, just like Klopp, and the current Reds players could therefore find the transition relatively comfortable, rather than bringing in a manager with very different tactics.
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That being said, Alonso still feels like the most exciting candidate, for all of Schmidt’s plus points, with the Spaniard a younger, more vibrant option who looks like one of the outstanding managers of the younger crop coming through. Failing to bring him in would ultimately feel disappointing at this point.
