Liverpool supporters revelled in nostalgia at the weekend when the legendary Jurgen Klopp made his return to Anfield for a charity match against Borussia Dortmund. Klopp's replacement, Arne Slot, achieved the seemingly impossible by clinching the Premier League title in his debut campaign with the Reds.
Nevertheless, it hasn't been plain sailing since, with Liverpool faltering in the league. Klopp's brief reappearance captivated many, and the Champions League-winning manager has since delivered a message to those fans.
With the international break well underway, the Reds are also still coming to terms with the news that Mohamed Salah will depart the club at the end of the season. Today's news examines what Klopp had to say to the Kop following his remarkable homecoming, while three potential successors for Salah have reportedly been identified by the club.
Klopp has conveyed his appreciation to Liverpool for the reception he was afforded on his "homecoming" to Merseyside. The former Reds boss remains an enduring and iconic figure at Anfield having delivered Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup and Club World Cup glory across nearly nine years at the club.
Klopp was greeted with a hero's welcome as he oversaw an entertaining 2-2 draw at Anfield, staged in support of the LFC Foundation. Goals from Jay Spearing and Thiago helped the Reds secure the draw.
Klopp shared on Instagram on Monday evening, posting multiple photographs from his visit and writing: "Thank you to everyone who made my homecoming so special. Enjoyed every second.
"My role was definitely not to have a lot of words. I was here for the Foundation and to be part of a really special experience. For me, a very special experience after a while – being around, being that close, seeing all the Liverpool lads and then seeing the Dortmund lads as well, because that was like 80 per cent of my players.
"And you don't meet very often and have them all together in one room. It's really cool. It was really, really, really nice. And the people suck it in. It's just so nice to see all the boys playing – but I think Thiago alone was worth the ticket!"
Following Salah's confirmation of his end-of-season departure, various names have surfaced as the player to succeed him. Bayern Munich's Michael Olise, RB Leipzig's Yan Diomande and Juventus winger Francisco Conceicao have all been mentioned.
The ECHO was informed last week that Liverpool were monitoring Portugal international Conceicao, though checks with several sources at Anfield have played down interest in the 23-year-old.
"I know people talk about a big club, but I play for a big club where I am happy," Conceicao said last week when asked directly about Liverpool interest. "At the moment I am only focused on these two games with the national team, and then I will focus on the final stretch of the season to help my club as much as possible."
Liverpool boast a strong working relationship with RB Leipzig and have completed several transfers together in recent years. Yet speculation surrounding £100million-plus for 19-year-old Diomande would surely need to be significantly reduced for any potential deal to materialise.
"People made [Liverpool] out to be my dream club," Diomande previously said. "But first and foremost, it's my dad's favourite club. It was always his great wish to see me play there someday because he loves the atmosphere at Anfield. He always raved about Steven Gerrard."
Olise is considered a non-starter at this point. The 24-year-old's reputation has soared since departing Crystal Palace for Bayern, yet a prospective move for the France international could reach record-breaking figures for Liverpool.
Bayern have absolutely no desire to entertain offers for Olise at present either. "We're not even considering that," Bayern sporting director Max Eberl told German publication BILD last week. "He's an FC Bayern player and has all the opportunities here that top players could wish for."
Within the walls of Anfield, there is a firm conviction that the club are keen to see Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak lining up together on a more regular basis.
The three summer recruits have shared the same pitch for a mere 88 minutes this campaign, suggesting Salah's successor could already be within their ranks, with Liverpool's hierarchy intent on unlocking the full potential of the trio next term.
