Particularly in modern football, few managers are as synonymous with one club as Jurgen Klopp became with Liverpool. The German moved to Merseyside in 2015 to replace Brendan Rodgers and would spend nine years in his post, returning Liverpool to a position of contending for and winning major honours.
Under Klopp’s guidance, Liverpool won their first-ever Premier League title, a Champions League–while finishing as runners-up twice–an FA Cup and two League Cups. Klopp became and remains an adored figure to the red half of Merseyside and many wondered how Liverpool would fare without him at the helm.
Despite initial skepticism, any doubts surrounding Arne Slot upon his arrival as Klopp’s successor have been quickly extinguished. Though they will not win more than one piece of silverware, as could have happened, the Reds look set to win their second Premier League, holding a commanding lead over Arsenal in second place.
This success is built on the foundations left by Klopp, with Slot having made just one outfield addition of his own in Federico Chiesa. Of course, though, Klopp is best remembered for signings made earlier in his tenure, particularly the front three of Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino.
Roberto Firmino Liverpool Stats
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Honours Won
Salah is the only one that is still at the club at the time of writing, but the trio were one of the best front threes ever when they played together. Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino now both play in Saudi Arabia, but departed Anfield as legends who helped completely revolutionise the Liverpool attack.
Klopp: How Could Liverpool Do This?
German was stunned at Firmino transfer
Roberto Firmino and Jurgen Klopp
Firmino joined Liverpool from Hoffenheim in 2015 and as such, was no stranger to Klopp, who had faced off against the Brazilian during his time as Borussia Dortmund manager. The Reds agreed a fee of £29 million and back in 2016, as per This is Anfield, Klopp was very vocal about his thoughts on Liverpool’s acquisition of Firmino.
“The first thing I did when I left Dortmund, I took my phone and deleted all the numbers so I was not reachable. I didn’t speak to anyone to offer advice, about Firmino or anyone else. Nobody asked me about him, but he was a player I thought was one of the best in the Bundesliga.
“So when I saw that Liverpool had signed him, I thought, ‘how could Liverpool do this?’ They were not in their 100 percent best moment and other clubs would have spent more on him, so I thought immediately, ‘what a good transfer for them.’ When I heard about it, I thought they had made a good signing, because I felt pretty sure clubs would have paid a lot more for him.”
‘How Can You Not’ Love Firmino
Klopp was always full of praise for the Brazilian
Roberto Firmino
Playing as a false nine more often than not, Firmino’s energy and pressing was an essential part of Klopp’s system at Liverpool, helping the attack tick in a way it otherwise would not have. Klopp was never scared about showering his forward in praise either. As reported by This is Anfield again, in 2021, the German once lauded Firmino for his impact on the team.
“He’s a very important player for us, he’s a connector. He’s the best offensive defender I ever saw in my life, definitely. He’s a ball chaser, he’s incredibly smart with all the things he’s doing, technically on the highest level and is able to play in the smallest spaces.
“Bobby is a positive but very, with me at least, very calm person. Everybody loves Bobby, there is no doubt about it. How can you not?”
For both Firmino and Klopp, the Liverpool chapters of their careers are closed. That, however, does not at all mean that they should not be remembered and held at the heights that they are, something that the pair did more than enough to earn.
( All stats are fromTransfermarktand are correct as of 29/03/2025 )
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