Jurgen Klopp: Why he's quitting, reaction and what's next for him and Liverpool

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp stunned the football world on Friday with his surprise announcement that he will step down from the club at the end of the 2023-24 season.

The German has become synonymous with the Reds since his appointment in 2015, succeeding where many others had failed in restoring the club to its former glories.

Klopp won virtually every trophy available to him to join an illustrious list of legendary managers who have occupied the Anfield dugout. The 56-year-old says it is time for a rest, but it is almost inconceivable to think he won't return to elite football management in the future.

Meanwhile, Liverpool are coming to terms with the impending departure of one of the game's leading coaches, and must quickly put in place a succession plan to build upon the German's exceptional work and keep the club on an upwards trajectory.

Here we look at what could be next for Klopp – and the Premier League leaders.

The German explained that while sitting down with the club to formalise plans for the 2024-25 campaign he realised he might no longer have the energy to drive the team forwards and that the feeling even took him by surprise.

“When we sat there together talking about potential signings, the next summer camp and can we go wherever, the thought came up, ‘I am not sure I am here then anymore’ and I was surprised myself by that. I obviously start thinking about it,” revealed Klopp.

He also said the 2022-23 campaign had been extremely taxing for him, personally. Having been in contention for a quadruple the season before, the Reds' standards dropped considerably, ending up without silverware following a fifth-placed Premier League finish, a last-16 exit in the Champions League and fourth round failures in