Jurgen Klopp has insisted that “nothing has changed” when it comes to his plan to leave Liverpool in 2024, after raising hopes among fans with a recent comment.
Speaking ahead of the 2-1 win over Norwich in the FA Cup in midweek, Klopp claimed he “really doesn’t know” whether or not he could extend his stay at Anfield.
This was interpreted by hopeful fans as a positive response, with the manager having previously maintained that he would be departing on the expiry of his current deal in 2024.
But in his pre-West Ham press conference on Friday, Klopp admitted fault in his previous comment and stressed that “nothing has changed” when it comes to his future.
“Not really. Nothing to do with that. The plan is still the same,” he said, when asked if the quality of his squad could play a part in tempting him to stay.
“I realised when I gave the answer. I thought ‘oh god’, but I couldn’t take it back. I was just not in the situation.
“The plan is still the same, nothing has changed really.
“If I decide to leave – or maybe I get the sack in 2023, who knows! – but if I decide [to leave] in 2024, it’s nothing to do with the quality of the squad.
“‘My god, I get to manage them’ or ‘oh my god, better to stop than manage them’. It’s not like this, nothing to do with that.
“All the things we do are for the long term, all the things we do.
“This club must be even better, especially when I’m not here anymore. That’s the plan, that’s what we are working on.
“So it’s not so important how long I will stay, it’s much more important what we will do until then.”
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