Five challenges Jurgen Klopp will face at Liverpool after extension

The tactician signed a new deal with the club recently.

Jurgen Klopp put an end to the rumors of his possible exit by signing a new deal with Liverpool FC. The German elongates his stay till 2026 after signing a four-year extension. Initially, he came to the Premier League by signing a three-year deal with the Reds in 2015. Later in 2016, the club agreed on a six-year extension to the deal until 2022. 

The fans of the club hold Jurgen Klopp in very high regard. After all, he is the main reason behind their rise in recent years to the top. Under his managerial spell, LFC won the Premier League 2019-20 and the UEFA Champions League 2018-19. The tactician brought back the feel-good factor at the club and keeps the team performing at a very high level. 

The future of the club is now in the best hands. There will be harder challenges down the road and the management has put their faith in Klopp. Keeping the focus on the future, here are five challenges that Klopp faces after his extension with Liverpool FC:

Mohamed Salah and life after

One of the major reasons behind Liverpool’s recent success is Mohamed Salah’s form. The Egyptian has scored consistently for the club every season since his arrival from AS Roma in 2017. His current deal at LFC expires in 2023, at the end of next season. Several elite clubs around Europe are observing the situation around his contract renewal and could make a move in the transfer window.

Klopp will play a crucial role in preparing the team for the possible departure of their star winger. There can be a situation where negotiations of a contract renewal break down, as there is a gap between the two parties in regards to wage demands.

Staying at the top

Reaching the summit is one thing, but staying there is entirely different. Since winning the league in 2019-20, the club is hungry to repeat the feat. However, it finds breakneck competition from Manchester City. The two clubs are involved in a two-horse race for the title almost every second season. 

Jurgen Klopp faces a stern challenge in keeping Liverpool in contention for trophies and winning them. The club must keep challenging for the league title every season as MCFC is showing no signs of slowing down either. 

Fending off competition

Premier League is no walk in the park. It is the most competitive league in the world, arguably. Manchester City is the biggest competitor to Liverpool at the moment. But, the Reds cannot ignore the rest of the competition from the likes of Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal. All these clubs have the resources and the willingness to topple the outfit for the top places on the table.

Furthermore, Manchester United is set to initiate another rebuild under new manager Erik ten Hag. Jurgen Klopp is well aware of the challenges posed by the rival teams around the club. He will be central in keeping Liverpool a step ahead of the challengers.

Squad transition

Liverpool FC is well run and the club does well in the market. It signs players that are well-oiled for the system in place under Jurgen Klopp. The manager is also exceptional at incorporating new signings in a short duration. For instance, players like Diogo Jota, Ibrahima Konate and Luis Diaz have settled seamlessly since their moves to the club.

Moving forward, Klopp will need to guide the club through a transition phase. He must oversee potential departures and bring in talent which compliments the club. Players like Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino, Divock Origi and James Milner among others may leave in the future. 

Equaling and surpassing the rivals

A major objective that Liverpool FC has is to become the most successful English club again. The outfit has 19 league titles while their rivals Manchester United are leading with 20 league wins. Every LFC fan dreams passionately of toppling their eternal rivals and getting back on their perch. 

Jurgen Klopp will stay at the club until 2026 and like to deliver this under his leadership. Surpassing the Red Devils is the biggest challenge that the German is going to face going forward. MUFC will not rest either and the arrival of Erik ten Hag could make them challenge for the title again. 

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