Ten years ago, Liverpool sat tenth in the Premier League after drawing 1-1 in the Merseyside Derby in what would be Brendan Rodgers’ last game for the club. Three days later, Jürgen Klopp would take charge, changing the trajectory of the club.
When Klopp joined, Liverpool had gone 25 years without a league title, winning only the FA Cup (2006) and Carling Cup (2012) in the 10 years prior to his arrival. He came with hope of replicating the success he achieved from his time managing German sides Mainz and Borussia Dortmund.
”We have to change from doubters to believers,” he said in his first press conference. Behind the emotion, the title-defining moments, the historical comebacks, lies the facts of Jürgen Klopp’s transformation of Liverpool.
What did he come into?
When the German arrived, Liverpool were, at best, fighting for European places. Bar coming close to their first Premier League title in 2014, the club faced instability.
Joining part-way through the 2015/16 season, he saw his side reach and lose two finals. Beaten in the Capital One Cup final 3-1 on penalties by Manuel Pellegrini’s Manchester City and a 3-1 defeat at the hands of Unai Emery’s Sevilla in the Europa League final.
Despite this, encouraging signs of Klopp’s first few months continued into the following season, seeing the Reds finish fourth and qualify for the Champions League.
What did he come out with?
Competing for domestic and European titles, the German drove the Reds back to top of the game. From January 2019 to February 2020, Klopp’s men went 44-games unbeaten, winning 39 and achieving 122 points in that time (an average of 2.77 points per game) BBC.
This run saw Klopp deliver Liverpool their first league title in 30 years, finishing 28 points above second placed Manchester City. But celebrations were limited due to the Covid-19 global pandemic which restricted fans in the stadium.
Plenty of incredible memories with Jürgen 👌🏆 pic.twitter.com/5ElkcmyaFR
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) October 8, 2025
Despite seven major trophies under Klopp’s tenure, the German lost four finals, including two Champions League finals at the hands of Real Madrid. The second occasion in 2022, a season which saw Liverpool win the Carabao Cup and FA Cup, but once more finishing second to Manchester City.
How does he compare to other Liverpool mangers?
Klopp has become one of Liverpool’s most successful and influential managers, but where does he rank amongst other Liverpool greats?
Klopp left Liverpool with the highest win percentage of any modern manager at the club. This number shows how more than just trophies were achieved during his time, how his side were able to maintain their push for success.
His success allowed for his successor, Arne Slot, who currently sits at a win percentage of 67.7% since joining over a year ago, to further build on the squad he accumulated over his eight and a half years at the club.
How much did Klopp spend?
37 players joined over the span of Klopp’s management, with the Reds spending over £800 million. The sale of Phillipe Coutinho helped fund big money signings like future captain Virgil Van Dijk for £75 million and goalkeeper Alisson Becker for £63 million. It all helped the club reach the heights that Klopp believed the team could achieve.
During his tenure, the club spent £828 million on players, making £482 million from player sales. With the expensive transfers such as Van Dijk and Alisson, bargain buys like Andrew Robertson for £8 million and the use of academy graduates such as Trent Alexander-Arnold, helped pave the way to victory.
