Arne Slot thanks Jurgen Klopp for Liverpool transfer trick Sir Alex Ferguson missed

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has praised Jurgen Klopp for leaving the club in “the best possible way”. Thanks to the extensive rebuild his predecessor orchestrated last year, the Dutchman believes the Reds have a talented core that is built to win.

Speaking to reporters for the first time since being officially appointed as the Reds’ newest boss, Slot praised Klopp for his vital impact on the Premier League and Liverpool.

“I think when it ended, the new rivalry in (Europe) came because of Jurgen. He managed Liverpool and Pep (Guardiola) of course managed Manchester City,” Slot said. “I think for anyone who loves football it’s been a fantastic era to watch them both get the best out of each other. I’ve seen a lot of Liverpool games, a lot of City games as well, and when you’re live in Europe, the Premier League is probably the most beautiful league to follow.

READ MORE Gareth Southgate makes decision on Trent Alexander-Arnold’s England place at Euro 2024
READ MORE Jamie Carragher is taking the piss out of FIFA and UEFA over an issue which directly affects Liverpool

“He’s done a tremendous job here and I’m very happy with that as a fan, but now as a successor he’s left Liverpool in the best possible way I think. So, a very good team, the fans are also very good, so I’m looking forward to it.”

Following a disappointing 2022-23 campaign, Klopp introduced major changes to Liverpool’s squad, starting with the departures of captain Jordan Henderson, vice-captain James Milner, Fabinho, Naby Keïta and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Following the midfield exodus, the Reds have brought in a wave of young talent including Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Wataru Endo.

The summer rebuild gave Liverpool an upward trajectory, something that cannot be said for every club after the departure of an iconic manager. For evidence, look no further than the supposedly poor state in which Sir Alex Ferguson left Manchester United in 2013.

Following David Moyes’ infamous 10-month tenure as Red Devils manager, fans were quick to point the finger at Ferguson, claiming he had handed over a club that was in decline. Aging stars such as Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand and Patrice Evra were struggling to regain their dominant form and were showing signs of wear and tear.

Despite leaving a squad with an average age of 26.1, Ferguson applauded the idea that Manchester United were collectively too old to succeed.

“There seemed to be a consensus that the group was too old … bullshit,” he wrote in his autobiography. “Ferdinand, Evra, Vidic, Carrick, Giggs and Scholes were all in their thirties. Chelsea started the current season as title favorites with a squad that also had six players in their thirties; I don’t hear a murmur about the age of their group.”

But Klopp certainly can’t be accused of taking the easy way out when it came to overhauling Liverpool’s squad last summer. And while a transition period is still in store, Slott can be grateful to have inherited a squad with a much younger and fresher profile than the one Moyes inherited from Ferguson many years ago.