Written by Eugene Wong
Saying Goodbye to the Klopp era: A Heartfelt Adieu to Liverpool’s Summer Departures
For veteran Reds accustomed to Fenway Sports Group’s (FSG) tight-purse spending, Liverpool’s summer has been nothing short of a blessing. Splashing the cash in buying players from Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak to German superstar Florian Wirtz, Liverpool has left rival fans lamenting about Liverpool’s excessive spending. While it is true that the club has spent a fortune strengthening their champion-calibre squad, the media often overlooks the large number of summer departures who played a crucial part in Liverpool’s campaign last season. With that in mind, this article hopes to reflect on the impact of these departures, showing gratitude for their roles and memories in front of the Kop.
Saying Goodbye to Liverpool’s Fan Favourites
Memories of the 20/21 and 22/23 seasons are unlikely to bring a smile on Liverpool fans’ faces, but this year saw the departure of many bright spots in what would have been otherwise quite gloomy times, as Liverpool failed to finish in the top three in both of those seasons. Nathaniel Phillips will be much missed for his past heroics, filling in Van Dijk’s shoes when the captain was out and joining the elite group of players having the honour of defending successfully against Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Kostas Tsimikas also served as the loyal understudy for Andy Robertson, earning the name “Greek Scouser” for his antics in Liverpool’s domestic cup double in 21/22. This represents the difficulties faced by players around the age of 26-30 in big clubs who are not guaranteed starters, with them hitting their ceiling for improvement while not being good enough to start games regularly.
Darwin Nunez and Luis Diaz were both brought in as replacements for Liverpool’s iconic front three of Salah, Mane, and Firmino, hoping that they would mould perfectly into the system. Luiz Diaz impressed in his debut season, propelling Liverpool to a Quadruple attempt, but his Liverpool career will always be marred by his knee injury later in the 22/23 season, where he never regained the speed and flair he initially showed. Nunez had moments of excellence, such as the brace that lifted 10-man Liverpool over Newcastle, the brace against Brentford, and the assist to Elliot against PSG. There was no doubt that he had the passion, talent, and speed to make it on the big stage, but his lack of refinement and temperament ultimately left him as just another “what-if” in the rich history of Liverpool’s number 9s.
This represents another major step in the transition from Slot to Klopp, where many of the aforementioned players made up the bulk of Klopp’s final season in charge. Their departure, then, waves another goodbye to the remnants of Klopp’s tenure, along with the many memories they brought with them.
The Downfalls of PSR: the Departure of Klopp’s Kids
The 23/24 Carabao Cup final was undoubtedly the peak of Klopp’s youth strategy, one where Klopp’s kids played a crucial role in their ascent to champions, beating Chelsea once again in a Wembley final. Homegrown talents such as Conor Bradley, Kelleher, and Harvey Elliot stepped in their mentors’ shoes, starting the game and forcing it into extra time after a tight 90 minutes. With the bench being depleted due to the lack of starters, other Merseyside talents such as Jarell Quansah, Bobby Clark, James McConnell, and Jayden Danns came in, providing fresh legs as Van Dijk’s late header sealed the game for Liverpool. This was arguably the zenith of Klopp’s trademark strategy of promoting and training young talents, moulding them into serving his philosophy of heavy metal football.
Unfortunately, most of these names have departed Merseyside this summer. Harvey Elliot will forever be remembered for his late goal against Crystal Palace, a beautiful Salah-esque left-footed goal, and the late goal against PSG that was so close to sealing Liverpool’s place in the Champions League quarterfinals. With his departure to Villa, his legacy is one marred by injuries, combined with the awkwardness of technically gifted but physically lacklustre players in the highly demanding Premier league. Similar to the tale of Nunez and Diaz, this signals Liverpool’s desire to control the tempo of the pace rather than the chaotic but exciting football under Klopp. Jarell Quansah and Caomhin Kelleher both left for greener pastures in London and Leverkusen for game time, hoping that new endeavours could further their career progression as both could not find stable games with the imposition of Ibrahima Konate and Alisson Becker. Kelleher always brought a calmness beyond his age to his matches, with his penalty kick antics winning Liverpool both the Carabao Cup, FA Cup, and exerting revenge on Real Madrid by saving Mbappe’s penalty. Jarell Quansah stood out in the 23/24 season, with his maturity beyond his age maintaining Liverpool’s position in the three-way race for the Premier League.
Liverpool has always reaped the benefits of selling young talent at a profit, namely the sale of Dominic Solanke, Jordan Ibe, and Neco Williams in the past to Premier League clubs such as Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest at a profit. Yet this also represents a growing trend of big clubs giving up on home-grown talent, trading their patience for short-term PSR gains. Manchester United, Arsenal, and Chelsea have all been big off-loaders of young talent, with big names such as Alejandro Garnacho, Marcus Rashford, and Mason Mount switching colours despite their initial hype. Young players are being seen less as key pieces of the puzzle with their imprint of club DNA, but rather pure profit that allows for more leeway on the books.
Taking the Next Step: a Post-Rock Liverpool
This transfer window has been a seismic shift in both incoming and departing players, tearing up the club fabric in the process. While Liverpool hopes that their summer signings can bring in fresh blood to maintain their competitive edge, Father Time threatens to derail the project with the aging of both Liverpool’s infamous back-line and star player Mohammed Salah. While Liverpool’s signings have been impressive, the aging core of Salah and Van Dijk remains a tricky problem for Richard Hughes. One can only hope that Liverpool does not fall into the trap of the 20/21 and 22//23 season, where glory was succeeded by instant falloff due to the lack of new signings.
