LONDON: Jurgen Klopp has signed a two-year contract extension which will keep him managing Liverpool until 2026 and take his stay beyond a decade at Anfield.

In the last month, the German had started to be asked questions about his future as he approached his final two years – especially with the deals of a number of senior players like Mohamed Salah for renewal next summer.

But nevertheless, the speed and timing of the agreement – and extensions for key assistants Pep Lijnders and Peter Krawietz – still came as something of a surprise.

Mike Gordon, president of owners Fenway Sports Group, flying in from America for the Champions League semi-final first-leg victory over Villarreal was the first sign something might be afoot.

Only last month Klopp, who guided Liverpool to a sixth European Cup triumph in 2019 and followed that up with a first league title in 30 years the following season, said about a new contract: “If I have the energy levels for it. That is important.

“I love what I do but I’ve said a couple of times, there must be something else out there in the world.”

But once Klopp intimated he was prepared to continue beyond the length of his existing deal, the negotiations were swift and straightforward.

This is the third time the 54-year-old – who arrived at Anfield in October 2015 and led the club to League Cup and Europa League finals in his first season – has extended his contract.

He is set to become Liverpool’s fourth longest-serving manager after Tom Watson, Bill Shankly and George Kay, surpassing the great Bob Paisley’s eight years and 11 months.

Klopp is already the Premier League’s longest-serving manager following Sean Dyche’s sacking by Burnley earlier this month.

“There are so many words I could use to describe how I am feeling about this news…delighted, humbled, blessed, privileged and excited would be a start,” Klopp told liverpoolfc.com.

“There is just so much to love about this place. I knew that before I came here, I got to know it even better after I arrived and now I know it more than ever before.

“Like any healthy relationship, it always has to be a two-way street; you have to be right for each other.”

Gordon, on behalf of the ownership, said: “It’s always hard to find the right words to adequately reflect Jurgen’s importance and contribution to our club, but today’s announcement really does speak for itself.

“But speaking on behalf of my partners John (Henry) and Tom (Werner), as well as myself, Jurgen is the perfect figurehead for the modern Liverpool FC.

“This is especially true of what he stands for, on and off the pitch. It also applies to the leader he is and the man he is.”

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