Jurgen Klopp sends 12-word message to Liverpool after watching Virgil van Dijk's trophy lift
Liverpool legend Jurgen Klopp was inside Anfield for the first time since leaving the club at the end of last season to watch his old players lift the Premier League trophy.
The Reds were held to a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace with Ismaila Sarr and Mohamed Salah on the scoresheet. But that was far from the story of the day: it was all about Virgil van Dijk getting his hands on the silverware at last.
Klopp had been invited back by Arne Slot already this season but he opted to wait until the title was secured. In town for the LFC Foundation gala and then the trophy parade, he took in the game in the middle.
READ MORE: Arne Slot makes Liverpool summer promise and outlines transfer plan - 'Always have to try'
READ MORE: 'I saw Anfield come alive in an instant as Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot's Liverpool wish comes true'
The German posted a message on social media after the match. "Congratulations. Champions. What a team. What a club. What a season. YNWA!" he wrote on Instagram.
Van Dijk, as captain, was the man who got to lift the trophy above his head, having been handed it by Reds legend Alan Hansen. Jordan Henderson, skipper under Klopp, did it in 2020, but that was when no one was in the ground to witness it.
Klopp had asked fans not to boo the departing Trent Alexander-Arnold before the game and his wish was granted. The Liverpool number 66 was loudly clapped and was in floods of tears at the final whistle.
"I didn't know what to expect stepping out at Anfield today after what happened a few weeks ago but I wanted to play for the club one more time," Alexander-Arnold told Sky Sports. "I said that to the manager and he trusted me to go in at half-time.
"To get the reception that I got means more than anything to me. I've played hundreds of games for the club but I've never felt more loved and more cared for than today.
"From the bottom of my heart, I hope that one day, the fans and supporters of this club are able to recognize the hard work and everything that I've done for the team.
"There wasn't a day, a minute or a second that I didn't think about the team, from six years old to 26 years old.
"Twenty years is a very, very long time, but I've loved every single minute of it. The ups and the downs, coming through the academy to the first team, and then being part of the first team properly. It's been an honor and a privilege for me to be part of this club."
While it has not been confirmed yet, Alexander-Arnold will be joining Real Madrid. There, he will link up with the former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso.
Klopp, meanwhile, has been linked with the AS Roma job recently. However, the German has definitively ruled out such a move. He is happy in his current role with the Red Bull group.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Man City and Wolverhampton Wanderers reach full agreement for long-term Man United target Rayan Ait-Nouri
Long-term Manchester United defensive target Rayan Ait-Nouri is set to complete his move to cross-town rivals Manchester City, who have reached a full agreement with Wolverhampton Wanderers. Ait-Nouri has been linked to United at various points of his career but needless to say, a transfer never materialised. Advertisement After Ruben Amorim took over as head coach, there were suggestions that United might target Ait-Nouri, who is highly familiar with the demands of the wing-back role—a position he has consistently impressed in at Wolves. However, United's January signing of Patrick Dorgu from Lecce made a move for Ait-Nouri highly unlikely, especially with other positions taking priority in the club's plans to strengthen the squad. Still, rumours linking Ait-Nouri to United never completely faded. However, as the Red Devils hesitated, City stepped in and swiftly made the Algerian their top transfer target. Earlier on Saturday, transfer expert Fabrizio Romano revealed that Ait-Nouri successfully completed his medical tests. Advertisement Romano indicated that the next step was for the 24-year-old to put pen to paper on a five-year contract until 2030. Now, Ben Jacobs has reported that Wolves and City have agreed a deal worth an initial €37m fee plus a further €6m in add-ons for Ait-Nouri. Jacobs also confirms that the player has done his medical. City will be hoping to announce Ait-Nouri's signing before they jet off to the United States to take part in the FIFA Club World Cup later this month. For United, it will be a bitter pill to swallow that their long-term target has ended up joining one of their biggest rivals. Ait-Nouri played 135 times for Wolves across the last five seasons in the English top-flight. Last term, he scored four goals and provided seven assists in 37 league appearances. Advertisement Featured image Naomi Baker via Getty Images Follow us on Bluesky: @
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
THREE Liverpool stars told they will be leaving
Liverpool are gearing up for a productive transfer window. They have already secured the signing of Dutch international Jeremie Frimpong - who joins from Bayer Leverkusen. Plans are in place for Milos Kerkez and Florian Wirtz too - with the Reds hoping to tie up those deals quickly. Adding just those three players will cost the club in the region of £200m - and that's before we consider a new centre-forward or midfielder. Advertisement It's clear that Liverpool need sales in order to finances a rebuild and Trent Alexander-Arnold and Caoimhin Kelleher have already left. But more outgoings will be required if a high-quality squad is to be assembled. There are plenty of players considered expendable - despite the club having just won the Premier League title. We could see Kostas Tsimikas, Joe Gomez, Jarell Quansah, Harvey Elliott, Federico Chiesa, Luis Diaz, Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez all potentially leave. And fringe players aren't immune either. Bids could well be heard for Ben Doak - the 19-year-old Scotland international winger who was on loan at Middlesbrough last season. But Arne Slot might also opt to chop some of the other young talents he had in his first-team squad last season. Danns, Morton and McConnell to leave Liverpool have got a productive academy pipeline - and there are indications that they are ready to clear the decks. That move will make way for the next generation of first-team hopefuls as well as add cash to the club's transfer kitty. Advertisement And TBR Football's Graeme Bailey claims Jayden Danns, Tyler Morton and James McConnell will be leaving the club this summer. 'I know that Liverpool are ready to bring a batch through that can be like Arne's boys,' Bailey said. 'I've been told that they're expecting a new stream of youth talent as it were. 'The likes of Danns, Morton and McConnell are a few of them who are going to be moving on. 'So Liverpool are making room for a new batch of youngsters. I think Liverpool are excited about what's coming. 'I know there's a right-back at Liverpool who they really like.'
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
Aussie coach steers Hull KR to Challenge Cup joy
Australian coach Willie Peters has seen his Hull KR team end 40 years of hurt in a dramatic finish to the English Challenge Cup final as they beat Warrington Wolves 8-6 at a rain-lashed Wembley Stadium. Mikey Lewis held his nerve to kick the winning conversion after Tom Davies had flopped onto Australian playmaker Tyrone May's kick to haul the Robins level against Warrington with just minutes to spare. Lewis then stepped up to boot his side into the history books, completing a win that erased the memory of their last-gasp agony against Leigh in 2023. Largely out-muscled by a Wire side orchestrated by the imperious Marc Sneyd, Rovers looked set for more Wembley agony as the underdogs entered the final three minutes with a four-point advantage. But after Tom Davies stretched to touch down following an error from Aaron Lindop, it was left to Lewis - handed kicking duties in the absence of the Cup-tied Arthur Mourgue, to nail the two-pointer that sparked raucous celebrations among the red and white hordes behind the post. The Boss ❤️#UpTheRobins🔴⚪️ — Hull KR (@hullkrofficial) June 7, 2025 "That was probably the moment when I was the most calm," insisted Sydneysider Peters, who celebrated wildly with his players - many of whom had been part of their agonising 2023 golden-point defeat to Leigh - at the final hooter less than one and a half minutes after his side had nudged back ahead. "It was a massive moment and I believed he was going to get it because of the belief he has in himself. He's not our number one kicker but I felt really comfortable and confident when he had the ball in his hands because that was his moment." Lewis' early penalty looked set to give Rover a slender halftime advantage before Josh Thewlis took advantage of a ricochet to give his side the lead. Sneyd, who added a superb two points from the touchline in the second half and won the Lance Todd Trophy for man of the match, continued to dominate after the break until May's clever kick led to the late, late drama. "It wasn't the best performance but it was gritty and that's all you need in a Cup final," added Peters. "You need to have grit and you need to enjoy discomfort, and they certainly did that." Deflated Warrington coach and former South Sydney NRL star Sam Burgess said he could not have asked any more from his side, who were on the verge of securing their first Wembley triumph since 2019. Burgess, whose side were also beaten by Wigan in last year's final, said: "You don't always get what you deserve and I don't think we deserved to lose today. "We controlled the game very well and executed the plan. Unfortunately these things can happen, we were just on the wrong side of things today." Burgess also revealed that Australian winger Matt Dufty suffered a facial fracture which will now see him miss a chunk of the Super League season. "Matt Dufty broke his cheek or eye socket with about 25 minutes to go and was trying to get to the end of the game, but it just popped out," said Burgess. "We'll be without Duft for a little while but it was outstanding to try to play through the pain. It's just unfortunate we didn't get the job done for him."
