"The reality is..." - Liverpool manager Klopp linked with Chelsea job by former Reds striker

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp was linked with the Chelsea job by former Reds star Stan Collymore.

The Merseyside club have endured a woeful season. A 3-0 loss to Wolves over the weekend has meant Liverpool are now languishing in tenth in the Premier League, some 11 points adrift of the Champions League spots and 21 points behind table toppers Arsenal.

Meanwhile, Klopp’s side are out of both domestic cups and have been drawn against La Liga giants Real Madrid in the next round of the Champions League, in a repeat of last year’s final.

However, Chelsea have had just as poor a campaign. They sit just a place and a point above the Reds, despite an unprecedented winter window in which they signed seven senior players for over £280million.

While a small contingent of Liverpool fans on social media have called for the club’s owners, Fenway Sports Group, to sack Klopp, Collymore insisted that no manager could do a better job than the German.

Meanwhile, the former striker added there was a possibility Klopp could end up at Premier League rivals Chelsea if forced out of Merseyside.

Collymore stands by Klopp

Collymore insisted a host of Europe’s biggest clubs, including Chelsea would be keen to recruit Klopp if he left Liverpool.

Speaking to Caught Offside, Collymore said: “The reality is, if FSG sack Klopp, there is no one else out there better equipped to do a better job.

“So anyone calling for him to go should be careful what they wish for because I’m certain that if he suddenly became available, you’d have Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, PSG and even Chelsea all lining up.”

Collymore added: “I still don’t think Jurgen Klopp should be facing the sack at Liverpool. I know they’re having an awful season but we need to look further back than just the past six months.

“Remember where Liverpool were when he came in – they were a real mess! – They had a below-average squad, were barely competitive and couldn’t attract top players. Klopp single-handedly changed all of that and went on to win every trophy possible along the way, and he didn’t just turn them into a winning side, he completely revolutionised their style of play.

“The problem the club face now is trying to compete financially with the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea, who have insane amounts of wealth. Of course, FSG aren’t poor owners, but they will never be in the same bracket as the City Group and Todd Boehly.

“Liverpool are now tasked with trying to compete for the same calibre of player without being able to offer as much, in terms of money.

“It’s very, very hard and although I agree that some of Klopp’s recruitment decisions haven’t paid off, such as bringing in Cody Gakpo from PSV in favour of a new midfielder, every manager makes mistakes, but look at all the ones he did turn into world beaters – Mo Salah, Sadio Mane, Virgil Van Dijk and Andy Robertson are just some who have benefited from the German’s vision.

“The situation the club finds itself in now is needing to replace a lot of players and it’s never something they’re going to be able to do in one window.

“Fans forget that when Pep Guardiola came to City, he pretty much changed their entire defence overnight and he’s lauded as a revolutionary, world-class tactician. Now you imagine what Klopp could do if he was given the same resources.”

Topics: Football, Liverpool, Jurgen Klopp, Chelsea, Premier League

Chris Byfield

Sport journalist with experience writing on football, rugby, boxing and the Olympics. I'm also a Crystal Palace fan. Please don't hold this against me.