Jamie Carragher believes there is a rift between outgoing Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp and boss Michael Edwards, citing the latter’s return due to the German’s imminent departure.
Last month it was announced that Edwards was back at the club after leaving the Merseyside side two years ago.
The club’s owners, FSG, asked Edwards to return to help lead a restructuring following Klopp’s announcement in January that he would leave the club at the end of the season.
Edwards spent 10 years at Liverpool from 2012 and has been praised as one of the most influential figures alongside Klopp in the club’s recent decade of glory.
He played a key role in the signings of players such as Mohamed Salah, Alisson and Virgil van Dijk.
Jamie Carragher believes Jurgen Klopp (left) and Michael Edwards (right) have fallen out
Carragher expressed his opinion on the Liverpool duo in the latest Stick to Football podcast
However, speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, brought to you by sky betCarragher believes that it is no coincidence that Edwards has returned to the club considering Klopp’s future.
“What’s really interesting here is that Michael Edwards, the sporting director, was there at the beginning with Klopp, but they obviously fell out for some reason and a lot of his team moved on,” he said.
“As soon as Klopp leaves, it’s like the band is back together. It’s obvious that something has happened behind the scenes.
‘FSG owners felt it was more important to get that structure back than who the next manager would be.
“There is no way Michael Edwards will come back and not have all the power to run this club. He doesn’t even have the same role, he has a bigger role because they are going to try to buy other clubs.
“My concern going forward is that the coach, whoever they hire, is just a coach.”
Feyenoord coach Arne Slot is the favorite to succeed Klopp. As Mail Sport detailed on Wednesday, Anfield officials contacted the Dutch champions with a first offer of compensation for the 49-year-old, who has no release clause in his contract.
Carragher believes it is no coincidence that Edwards has returned with Klopp leaving this summer
Edwards has been praised as one of the most influential figures alongside Klopp in the club’s recent decade of glory, playing a key role in the arrivals of Virgil van Dijk and Alisson, among others.
A fee of more than £10m is expected to be required to sign Slot, who will look to bring with him several members of his staff, including assistant Sipke Hulshoff.
The situation is developing rapidly and negotiations to bring Slot to Anfield could even conclude before the weekend.
However, when discussing this possible appointment, Carragher expressed his concerns: he feared that Slot did not have the seriousness among his followers compared to other candidates such as Xabi Alonso or his predecessors such as Klopp, Rafa Benítez and Gerard Houllier.
When asked by Roy Keane if he thinks it would be an exciting appointment, Carragher bluntly said “no” before explaining why.
“I imagine that Xabi Alonso would be at the top of the list for what he has done at Bayer Leverkusen but also for the connection [with fans]. That’s a big deal and a bit worrying for me as a Liverpool fan.
“I think when Liverpool did well in the Premier League era (Houllier had a good run of winning trophies for two or three years, Rafa was the same and Klopp did), there was a real connection with the fans and then Anfield you leave and you feel like you are moving somewhere.
“I think Liverpool differs from almost any club in that the coach is always God. The manager is very important.
‘It feels like this [Arne] It’s a quote you’d make if you were trying to get back into the top four. Liverpool are among the five or six best teams in Europe and have been for some years.
“You think of a boy, as a Liverpool fan, who is on the bench and who can take on Pep Guardiola. Thomas Tuchel has beaten him and he has something on him.
“Never forget how big the connection with a Liverpool supporter has to be and we just don’t have a manager who says ‘yes’ behind the scenes.”
Liverpool have started negotiations with Feyenoord to sign coach Arne Slot.
The 45-year-old recently won the KNVB Cup and previously won the Eredivisie in 2022-23.
Carragher has expressed concern about Slot’s Anfield credentials if he succeeds Klopp.
Slot, who was considered by both Tottenham and Chelsea last summer, has enjoyed immense success since joining the Dutch side in 2021 and has become one of the most progressive managers in European football.
He recently led his team Feyenoord to victory in the KNVB Cup; It is the second trophy he has won with the Rotterdam giant, after proclaiming them national champion 12 months ago.
His accolades in the Dutch team have made him an ideal candidate to succeed Klopp at Anfield and the Reds have now stepped up their pursuit of the 45-year-old.
It is also worth noting that Slot’s planned press conference to preview Feyenoord’s match against Go Ahead Eagles on Thursday night has been cancelled. No official reason was given.
Initial reports suggested the Reds were considering a move for Alonsowhat an outstanding job he has done with Bayer Leverkusen.
But Alonso wanted to stay in Germany and that led Rubén Amorim to assume the favoritism of the betting houses.
The Portuguese, who has a £12m release clause in his contract, recently spoke of being unable to give Sporting Lisbon any guarantees over his future.
Liverpool had strongly considered him, as they did with Brighton’s Roberto De Zerbi, but are now prepared to move in a different direction to Amorim, who is a target for West Ham United, as Mail Sport reported on Monday.
Jamie Carragher spoke at the Stay with football podcast, presented by sky bet.