Liverpool confirm Pep Lijnders manager plans after Jurgen Klopp announces shock departure in statement

Liverpool have confirmed that Pep Lijnders will not succeed Jurgen Klopp as manager.

Klopp has made the bombshell announcement that he will leave the Anfield hot seat at the end of the season. The German has been revolutionary since arriving in October 2015, guiding Liverpool back to the European elite and won six major trophies.

Lijnders, who serves as Klopp's assistant, has been tipped as a potential replacement for Klopp in some quarters. The Dutchman is a highly-regarded coach and has acted on media duties for the Carabao Cup.

But Liverpool have said that Lijnders, along with fellow assistant Peter Krawietz and elite development coach Vitor Matos will all leave the club. Lijnders is keen to pursue his own management career, having had a brief spell at Netherlands outfit NEC earlier in his career.

A Liverpool statement said: "Jürgen Klopp has announced his decision to step down as Liverpool manager at the end of the current season, having informed the club’s ownership of his wish to leave his position when the 2023-24 campaign comes to a close.

"After guiding the Reds to another Wembley final on Wednesday night, the 56-year-old will continue to oversee the team’s remaining fixtures of 2023-24 before bringing the curtain down on a glorious eight-and-a-half-year managerial reign at Anfield, which has seen the club win six major trophies under his guidance to date.

"Assistant managers Pepijn Lijnders and Peter Krawietz, as well as elite development coach Vitor Matos, will also vacate their positions at the end of the season, with Lijnders keen to pursue his own career in management."