Pep Guardiola will have called Jurgen Klopp this summer to ask him about Pepijn Lijnders, before hiring him as his assistant at Manchester City.
That’s according to Wim Kieft, [via Soccer News](https://www.soccernews.nl/news/kieft-steunt-landgenoot-hij-moet-wel-iets-kunnen/), who has defended Lijnders today as his appointment at Manchester City continues to raise eyebrows.
The Dutchman is the new number two at the Etihad after the departure of Juanma Lillo earlier this summer. He is one of several new hires behind the scenes at Manchester City by Pep Guardiola, who is determined to change things up after a disappointing season.
The 42-year-old’s arrival has been questioned given his association to Liverpool, where he was assistant to Jurgen Klopp across two different spells.
He first joined the Reds in August 2013 as their youth coach before being promoted to assistant in 2015, a role he held for three years. He departed for NEC as their manager in January 2018 but returned in June as Liverpool assistant once again.
He remained in the role until June 2024, departing to become RB Salzburg manager. That spell only lasted 28 games, with his previous managerial role lasting 22.
That’s added to the questions being asked about his arrival at Manchester City, but Kieft has defended his compatriot.
“By the way, Pepijn Lijnders was on the bench at Manchester City for the first time as assistant coach to Pep Guardiola. He failed as head coach of NEC and Red Bull Salzburg,” he wrote in his column.
“Nevertheless, Lijnders has to be able to do something as an assistant and be of added value, because otherwise you wouldn’t sit next to Jürgen Klopp on the bench at Liverpool for years and then be asked by Guardiola to join Manchester City. Pep has undoubtedly asked Klopp about Pep.”