Ex-Red says Liverpool set for a ‘high’ on budget under new sporting director Jorg Schmadtke

Former Liverpool forward Erik Meijer believes that incoming sporting director Jorg Schmadtke will unearth some transfer gems for Jurgen Klopp this summer.

Meijer played with Schmadtke at Schalke in the 1990s and says every club at which the German has worked has enjoyed a ‘high period’ despite budget constraints.

Liverpool will say goodbye to Julian Ward - the successor to much-vaunted sporting director Michael Edward - at the end of this season and Schmadtke has reportedly agreed terms to take over the role in a short-term capacity this summer.

The German has previously worked at the likes of Hannover and Wolfsburg and has earned a good reputation for unearthing relatively low-cost players that can go onto be successful - in the manner of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane at Liverpool.

Meijer, who played 24 times for Liverpool during the 1999/2000 season, offered his thoughts on Schmadtke’s new role and believes that he and Klopp are two strong personalities that will gel successfully - which can only be good news for Liverpool.

“Jorg was always a smart guy, very intelligent. Every club he has worked at, from Aachen to Wolfsburg, always had a high period but they never did it by spending lots of money.”

“Jorg finds managers that can make clubs better and players that managers can make better. And that is what Jurgen Klopp loves – players you can make better. He never wants the finished article, he much prefers being with those who know their best days are in front of them.”

“Jurgen, I believe, respects him a lot. He wants people around him that are the best at their jobs. Jurgen has never said knows the answers for everything. He doesn’t want people who will just say “yes” or do what he says. Jorg is his own man and not afraid to speak out when he has a strong view.”

“If you look at Jorg, he always seems to have a stern face, like he is waiting to criticise, but that is just him wanting the very best he can get from a situation. He is always looking for perfection, if that is possible. Sometimes it means he has to be hard with what he says but he isn’t afraid to speak out.”

This summer will be a key moment for the club’s future as they look to off-load the soon-to-be free agent trio of James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - with midfield recruits at the top of their shopping list as they look to revitalise their engine room ahead of next season.