Jurgen Klopp has made a major decision regarding Liverpool's pre-season, the Reds boss has announced.
Liverpool have endured a torrid campaign after being knocked out of all three cup competitions available to them.
Their humiliating 6-2 aggregate defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League saw supporters' last hope of silverware slip from their grasp.
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While their hopes of qualifying for next year's competition have all but disappeared, with the club currently languishing in seventh place in the Premier League, some 10 points off fourth-placed Manchester United.
As a result, Klopp is reportedly plotting a major squad overhaul, with the German expected to pay close attention to his midfield in the summer transfer market.
However, Klopp has also revealed he plans to start pre-season early and has warned his players' they need to "step up" on this season's efforts.
What did he say?
Klopp is eager to avoid the mistakes of pre-season this term, in which the team played just two matches in Thailand and Singapore before the Premier League got underway.
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Before the game against West Ham on Wednesday, he said: “It was never a perfect pre-season but that is not the reason for our season now because we had similar pre-seasons before that.
"But this year must be different. So now we already have four or five weeks without international football. Usually you play all the time. We play a lot now but I have no clue where they would have put in the Champions League games [had Liverpool been involved].
“But it’s different and that’s why we have to step up. We have to prepare that in the pre-season and that’s why I want them back together as quick as somehow possible, respecting the necessity of holidays.
"I know that and I respect that and I want them to go on holiday for as long as possible but for this year we have to make sure we are together as soon as possible and can go from there.”
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Indeed, international commitments may continue until late June, with the Nations League finals not due to finish until 18 June, while England’s final European Championship qualifier of the season is scheduled for 19 June against North Macedonia.
Klopp has decided that the players will be allowed up to three weeks' holiday after the current season was extended by the Qatar World Cup.
“Three weeks off at least are possible. After that we want to start together, although that might not be exactly possible," added Klopp.
"We start back on the 8th [July] and for the other [international] boys it will be the 11th."
Featured Image Credit: AlamyTopics: Jurgen Klopp, Liverpool, Fantasy Premier League, Football