Klopp replacement: Ex-Chelsea boss touted for Liverpool as manager ‘agrees’ deal with next club
Former Chelsea star Carlo Cudicini thinks Liverpool should consider appointing Antonio Conte as Jurgen Klopp’s replacement in the summer.
With very little going on transfer-wise, Klopp was a surprise saviour of the January window as he announced a week ago that he would be leaving Liverpool at the end of this season.
Klopp is on track to go out on a high as Liverpool are five points clear at the top of the Premier League and in the final of the Carabao Cup. They are also still in the Europa League and FA Cup.
Liverpool are facing the unenviable task of replacing Klopp and club chiefs will presumably work tirelessly in the coming months to find the right successor.
Xabi Alonso is currently working wonders with Bayer Leverkusen and he is unsurprisingly the current favourite to replace Klopp.
But during an interview with Stadium Astro, Cudicini was asked: “Who replaced Jurgen Klopp, who is your option for this Carlo? Are there any Italians I should be aware of?”
He answered: “Well, Antonio Conte is available, I believe, so why not? Without a doubt he’s very successful, he’s proven that.
“I think one season shouldn’t define the ability of a manager, but what Xabi Alonso has been doing at Leverkusen has been amazing.”
Conte has been out of work since leaving Tottenham towards the end of last season.
The respected Italian previously did a great job at Chelsea as he helped them win the Premier League and FA Cup.
His spell at Spurs was less successful but he was always going to land himself a big job when he returns to management ahead of next season.
He will not be heading to Liverpool, though. Italian outlet TeleLombardia (via Football Italia) claim Conte ‘has accepted the terms offered by Milan and will be their coach next season’.
It is said that Conte ‘rejected an approach from Napoli in October’ but he ‘has agreed to the proposal’ to join AC Milan ahead of next season.
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Ex-Liverpool man Glen Johnson has explained why he would be “scared” to appoint Alonso or Steven Gerrard.
“I’d be a bit scared to appoint Xabi Alonso or Steven Gerrard,” Johnson said in an interview with Squawka,
“The next appointment is going to be really tough and I’d be worried about bringing someone in with so little experience.
“Also, I think we’ve seen bringing a legend back to manage the club can often not work out. We’ve seen since Fergie left Man United, they still haven’t replaced him and we could see something similar here.
“These kinds of managers are extremely hard to replace, especially for someone with so little experience. Of course, in football timing is everything and this kind of dream job may not open up for them again so they’ll be tempted to take it, it will just be very hard to have the kind of success Klopp did.”
