Across a nine-year tenure as manager of the club, Jurgen Klopp established himself as a modern Liverpool legend, cementing his place as one of the Reds’ greatest managers of all time. Appointed in 2015, Klopp successfully returned Liverpool to a position of contending for, and eventually winning, major honours.
The winner of three domestic cups in England, Klopp also reached three Champions League finals with Liverpool, winning the prestigious competition in 2019 by beating Tottenham Hotspur in the final. In the following season, Liverpool dominated the Premier League as they won their first top flight title in 30 years.
Klopp departed Anfield in 2024, retiring from his work as a manager. The foundations left by the German were crucial for Arne Slot who, in his debut year, guided Liverpool to their second-ever Premier League title. Klopp is fondly remembered, not only for his accomplishments, but for the high-energy, attacking brand of football his club played.
With a keen eye for footballing talent, Klopp made a number of incredible signings during his time as Liverpool manager. Klopp has shared a number of footballing opinions over the years and in 2023, as per This Is Anfield, the German reflected on a target that his side failed to recruit which, seemingly, turned out to be something he was relieved by.
‘My God, Were We Lucky’
Jurgen Klopp
In the summer of 2023, Moises Caicedo was one of the most talked-about names on the market. Just weeks after Declan Rice completed a nine-figure move to Arsenal from West Ham United, Liverpool were vying for Caicedo’s signature, with the Ecuadorian ultimately moving to Chelsea for £115 million.
Speaking about the now-23-year-old as he looked back on Liverpool’s failed pursuit, Klopp said:
“The summer we had, we had a few strange things happen in the transfer market but here, between us, I can say ‘My god, were we lucky, eh?'”
At the time of speaking, Caicedo was struggling for form at Stamford Bridge, though there were certainly mitigating factors. Off the back of a season in which they finished 12th in the league, Chelsea spent heavily once again in the summer, with Caicedo being one of several incomings to play under new manager Mauricio Pochettino.
As stability has gradually set in for Chelsea in the time since Caicedo joined, the midfielder has established himself as a key part of the Blues first team, living up to the immense potential that many, including one of his former managers, felt he possessed in his younger years. Caicedo is regarded as one of the best defensive midfielders in the Premier League and with good reason.
Potter Full of Praise For Caicedo
Moises Caicedo
Moises Caicedo
Graham Potter was the manager who brought Caicedo to English football at Brighton, though early in the 2022/23 season, when the midfielder broke out, Potter moved to Chelsea for what would prove to be a brief stint as manager. Potter, who is now in charge of West Ham, described Caicedo as “world-class” in 2024, as per the BBC.
After missing out on Caicedo, Liverpool instead signed the older, more-experienced Wataru Endo, who has become something of a cult figure at Anfield. The Reds are in an incredible position, but it could be argued that Klopp’s comments were somewhat misplaced, especially as it could be said that, even still, Liverpool don’t have as true of a number six as Caicedo, who looks set to become even better as a player in the years to come.