Liverpool’s coach Jurgen Klopp couldn’t contain his emotions when a fan presented him with a painting before he departed at the end of this month.
Jurgen Klopp’s nearly 9-year reign at Liverpool is gradually coming to a close. In a statement back in January, the German strategist even hinted at the possibility of retiring from coaching due to feeling drained of energy, but he needed time to make a final decision.
A Liverpool fan, Abigail Rudkin—a football-themed artist—painted a portrait to commemorate Klopp’s time at Anfield. It’s known that she spent 2 months perfecting the artwork, featuring prominent words like “You’ll Never Walk Alone” and “Danke Jurgen.” On Thursday, she took the opportunity to visit Liverpool’s training ground and personally hand over the meaningful gift to Klopp.
In response to the fan’s gesture, the 56-year-old coach expressed, “I love it. From the moment I saw the painting, I teared up. I don’t have many skills, but this gift made me realize I have some talent. Abigail, you’re truly gifted, I wish you all the best.”
Klopp’s era may come to a somber end as Liverpool’s chances of winning the Premier League this year dwindle, being eliminated from the Europa League and FA Cup, with the Carabao Cup being the only trophy for The Kop this season.
According to the British media, Klopp’s likely successor will be Feyenoord’s manager Arne Slot. An agreement has reportedly been reached to break the nearly £10 million contract, and negotiations for personal terms are underway. Slot’s coaching trio, consisting of assistant coach Sipke Hulshoff, head of operations Ruben Peeters, and analyst Etiënne Reijnen, will also join Liverpool.
Following this revelation, Klopp confirmed he wouldn’t interfere with Liverpool’s manager search and expressed admiration for Slot’s style during a press conference on April 26th: “I would be happy if Slot took this position, and he is ready. This is the best job and club in the world.”
According to Sky Sports, Slot is targeted by Liverpool due to meeting criteria such as an attacking style of play and consistently putting pressure on opponents. Feyenoord currently leads in statistics for ball recovery in the opposition’s final third in the Eredivisie, and boasts the best defense, conceding only 24 goals in 31 matches. They also have the second-best attack with 80 goals and employ a versatile system, either 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3.