Klopp still laying down groundwork for 2024 departure

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp insists nothing has changed in his plans for the future and his goal remains for the club to progress even after his departure.

When the German signed his current deal, which expires in two years, in 2019 he said he wanted to "leave the club in a better place" but when asked in midweek about his chances of staying on he said he did not know.

Klopp said on Friday, despite having won the club's first league title in 30 years and last weekend added the Carabao Cup to Champions League, Club World Cup and European Super Cup triumphs, managing Liverpool's best squad for a generation would have no undue influence on his decision to stay or go.

"It's not so important how long I will stay, it is much more important what we do until then."

"The plan is still the same, nothing changed really," he said. "If I decide to leave in 2024 it is nothing to do with the quality of the squad: 'My God, I have to manage them' or 'Oh my God, I'd better stop managing them'.

"It's nothing to do with that. All we do is for the long term. This club must be even better especially when I am not here any more and that's the plan, that's what we are working on.

"It's not so important how long I will stay, it is much more important what we do until then."

Centre-back Joel Matip will miss Saturday's visit of West Ham through a non-Covid-related illness, while midfielder Thiago Alcantara is not yet ready to return after a tight hamstring forced him out of last weekend's Carabao Cup final win.

Forward Roberto Firmino will resume training on Sunday after a muscle injury but midfielders Curtis Jones, taken off at half-time of Wednesday's FA Cup win over Norwich, and Naby Keita face late assessments.