Klopp: Liverpool assistant Lijnders could be the main man one day

Pepijn Lijnders’ impressive career trajectory at Anfield is well-known to Liverpool fans, but now manager Jurgen Klopp has thrust the coach into the spotlight by saying he has what it takes to manage at the highest level.

The Dutchman has just completed his third season at Liverpool, joining the Reds’ Academy back in 2014 after seven years at Porto, before being almost immediately promoted into the role of first team development coach.

Lijnders has continued to go from strength to strength since Klopp joined the club, and the German – widely recognised as one of the most talented managers in the world – is a big fan.

The 32-year-old stewarded the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold, Ovie Ejaria, Ben Woodburn and Harry Wilson through to their first-team debuts this term, and Klopp has no doubt in his mind that Lijnders will make a fine club manager one day.

“Yes, 100 per cent,” he said.

“But what I really like is that he’s smart enough to think: ‘OK, it’s not the time for it’, even when there are younger managers around the world.

“It’s a long way to go and he can still get a lot of information from us and I like how he takes it.

“I think, in different parts, he has good teachers with us, and we like doing it actually. He’s much younger than we are so at one moment, we will stop and he’ll be ready to stand with his own feet.

“I’m really looking forward to it already, watching the games when he’s on the sideline and can give all his power – and there’s a lot of power – to his team.

“His main job is being a real coach. I’m really happy. I never could’ve imagined that I needed another assistant, but now we have him and I cannot imagine how it would be without him.

“I’m really happy that the club decided before I came in that he has to stay. I had no idea who he is, where he’s coming from, but it’s an interesting life already that he had being that long at Porto.

“He’s a fantastic guy and an even better manager in the future.”