Jurgen Klopp leaves Liverpool at the end of the season. Klopp’s Kids could be a fitting legacy.
Klopp’s Kids Beat Boehly’s Blue Billionaire Bottle-Jobs screamed the headlines following a depleted Liverpool team’s win over Chelsea in the 2024 Carabao Cup Final at Wembley.
It was a fantastic performance by a Liverpool team that, due to an ever-growing injury list, were forced to rely on a number of squad players plus several young and untried players for the game.
And they passed it with flying colours, earning a 1-0 win in extra time and with it, the nickname of Klopp’s Kids.
Everyone recall’s Alan Hansen’s remarks about Sir Alex Ferguson’s new youthful Manchester United team when they lost 3-1 to Aston Villa on the opening day of the season.
“You can’t win anything with kids,” the Scots presenter stated, before Fergie’s Fledglings went on to prove him wrong.
Could Klopp’s Kids do the same for Liverpool with one trophy in the cupboard and more to play for over the remainder of the season and beyond?
–>Liverpool’s Carabao Cup win saw their odds to win the Premier League move to 2/1, although Manchester City are still the 11/10 favourites at the time of writing.
They are also 3/1 to win the FA Cup and the 13/8 favourites to win the Europa League this season.
All those odds were correct with bet365 Sport at the time of writing, but no doubt they will change over the course of the season.
However, the legacy that Klopp may leave Liverpool with is its strongest and most capable squad of players arguably in the clubs long and illustrious history.
And that strength could well be due to a stellar crop of young talent coming through the ranks at Anfield, including players that Klopp has brought in.
Let’s take a look at the youth in this Liverpool squad that could be the legacy Klopp leaves the club with.
Vice-captain of the club and Alexander Arnold is only 25 years old. He has become one of Liverpool’s most dangerous players from right back and is developing his new role in midfield. A generational talent who is the best attacking right back in world football. One of the leader's of Klopp's Kids merry band!
England U21 star who won the European Championships as part of that team last year. Has established himself much more in midfield adding goals to his game this season and at times has been Liverpool’s best and most consistent midfielder. He is now starting to fulfil his potential.
Kelleher is rated incredibly highly by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp who believes the 25-year-old is a fantastic back-up to Alisson. The problem Liverpool have, is that he is too good to be a back up for too much longer and performances like that at the Carabao Cup Final will only enhance his reputation further.
Signed from Bayern Munich, the Dutchman has had a bit of a stop-start time at Anfield at present, but he has shown glimpses of his quality. Physically very strong and technically excellent in a midfield role. He will improve with a full pre-season under his belt.
The Warrington-born centre back has made 8 appearances in defence this season and has looked accomplished in the vast majority of those appearances. Powerfully built and solid in the air, he still has a bit to learn, but that will come when lining up alongside Van Dijk or Konate.
Liverpool spent a lot of money to sign the 16-year-old from Fulham and now he is showing why they did that. He needs to add a few more goals to his game and perhaps a greater degree of consistency at times, but he has often been a bright spark for Liverpool when they have needed it this season and he is getting better and better.
A big money signing from RB Leipzig, the powerful French defender took some time to settle in Liverpool but he has become the first choice centre back partner for Virgil van Dijk in recent months with a series of commanding displays alongside the Dutchman.
The youngster impressed on loan at Bolton last season, but he has been sensational for Liverpool after coming into the team for the injured Trent Alexander-Arnold. In four appearances, he has one goal and three assists and played up front for a period of time on Saturday. Mature way beyond his years and another outstanding right sided player coming through the ranks. He's the player out of all Klopp's Kids who has made the biggest impact this season for the Reds.
Bajcetic has missed the entire season through injury so he is easy to forget but the Spaniard was superb in his breakthrough season last year and the quality he showed has been sorely missed at times this season. At just 19, he has plenty of time to come good.
The imaginative and creative winger is the son of ex-Newcastle midfielder Lee Clark and he is now a regular on the substitutes bench, even when the Reds have a strong first team squad. He is very highly thought of at Anfield and could emerge as one of the best talents from Klopp's Kids.
Like Gravenberch, Gakpo may have come for a big fee, but the Dutchman is just 24 years of age and his best years lie ahead of him. He is another player that should prove to be an astute long-term signing by the German. Is he really a Klopp's Kid club member? Well, he's 24!
He may not be in Haaland’s class and he may still be a rough diamond, but if the Reds can continue to polish their striker, then he could well turn into one of their best strikers of the post-Klopp era. He will get every chance to do so given how loved he is by Liverpool fans. Maybe not technically one of Klopp's Kids but he is just 24, like Gakpo.
A flying Scottish winger who was tipped to enjoy a breakout year for the Reds after some stellar performances with the first team in pre-season. Injury has curtailed that unfortunately and he will be out for some time, but he will come back better and stronger for it.
Gordon has suffered a nightmare two year spell with injuries and is only just getting back to fitness at the present moment. However, two years ago, he looked likely to be the next big thing from the academy. Time is on his side and he still could well be one of the most talented of Klopp's Kids.
Son of Tranmere Rovers assistant manager Neil Danns, Jayden has just broken into the first team but in his relatively few minutes on the pitch has shown huge quality, playing a key role in Harvey Elliot’s goal against Luton and impressing when played up front against Chelsea at Wembley.
He could be the next of Klopp's Kids in line to come through from the academy. The 16-year-old has been firing in plenty of goals at Youth Team and reserve level and aged just 16, he could develop into yet another fantastic striker.
A wonderfully gifted midfielder with an eye for a forward pass and who has already got one assist to his name this season. He rarely wastes the ball and is a neat and tidy passer, as well as being keen to look for a pass that can split a defence. He's one of Klopp's Kids that have made an impact this season on the first team.
That sounds like a huge amount of talent but it does not end there. Also coming through the ranks, but out on loan at other clubs are a number of other of Klopp's Kids including Sepp van Den Berg (Mainz), Fabio Carvalho and Tyler Morton (both Hull City), Calvin Ramsey (Bolton), Billy Koumetio (Blackburn), Luke Chambers (Wigan Athletic), Harvey Davies (Crewe), James Norris (Tranmere) and Owen Beck (Dundee)
Klopp will leave Liverpool as a legend regardless of what happens over the remainder of the season. But the true effects of what he has built at Anfield may be still to come with Klopp's Kids – As this exciting crop of young, talented stars, start to emerge as genuine first team superstars.
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