Jurgen Klopp's ex-Liverpool No.2 agrees surprise move to Premier League rival
Pep Guardiola is set to be boosted by the arrival of Pep Lijnders at Manchester City, with Jurgen Klopp's former assistant agreeing to join the Premier League champions
Pep Lijnders, Jurgen Klopp's former right-hand man at Liverpool, is joining Manchester City. The former Kop coach, who was dismissed by Red Bull Salzburg in December after trying his hand as a No.1 in Austria, has agreed personal terms and will be joining Pep Guardiola's coaching team for the 2025-26 season.
Lijnders left Liverpool when Klopp left the club 12 months ago and promptly pitched up in Salzburg.
But Lijnders only managed to secure 13 victories out of 29 matches - a disappointing record for a team used to success after clinching the Austrian Bundesliga title 14 times in the past 18 years. He departed with the team languishing in fifth place in the league and under Lijnders' successor, Thomas Letsch, Salzburg finished the campaign in second place.
The role at Salzburg marked Lijnders' second attempt at management, and his first wasn't particularly successful either: he took over Dutch side NEC in January 2018 and was sacked four months later after failing to secure promotion to the Eredivisie.
Nevertheless Lijnders has earned a stellar reputation as an assistant to Klopp during his two spells at Liverpool, leading many to anticipate great things from him as a head coach after years working with one of the best managers of his generation.
Lijnders' departure from Liverpool at the end of last season was confirmed at the same time as Klopp's, and at the time the German had high praise for the 41-year-ol
"The most influential guy in the last years at this club was definitely Pep Lijnders," Klopp said. "The job he did is absolutely exceptional. The inspiration he is for me is absolutely exceptional."
Lijnders and Klopp had been set to reunite professionally at the start of the year when Klopp took up his new role as Head of Global Soccer at Red Bull. However, plans for a reunion were scuppered by Lijnders' Salzburg exit.
Speaking ahead of leaving Liverpool last summer, Lijnders spoke of his fondness for the club and the city: "10 years of the club and my boys don't know anything else, they are Scousers. I owe this club everything. They don't owe me anything, to be honest.
"It's 10 years full of dedication. I always said I will finish with Jurgen; the moment I will not assist anyone else, that's the moment I will go and I will manage. That was always the case. So when we spoke, it was clear for me: OK, then I go and manage, and we end this project together [that] we started.
"It's not easy. My boys, my wife; my boys are two proper Scousers and their whole life they will be. Maybe posh ones! But still! I cannot say thank you enough to everybody involved."
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