Jürgen Klopp: It's too early for contract talks with Liverpool
Under contract until 2022, Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp said there was no need to discuss a new deal with the European champions just yet.
Jürgen Klopp insisted it was too early for contract talks with Liverpool with three years still remaining on his current deal. The German led the Premier League giants to Champions League success last season and reports suggested that the club is keen for him to extend his contract, which runs until 2022.
Klopp to see out Liverpool contract
But Klopp, whose side face Borussia Dortmund in a pre-season friendly on Friday, said he was unfazed about a new deal just yet. "I will not leave before the contract is ending. That is my side. That is why a contract is important," he told a news conference, via The Telegraph. "We have enough time to make decisions in that department. There is no need to do it now. Three years is really a bit early to be concerned. It is just a contract. The owners like what I do. I like what the owners are doing. I love the team, they are brilliant. Melwood is sensational. I'm looking forward to going to [the new training ground in] Kirkby and all these things. There is always a step forward. We all want to keep the past and traditions and all that stuff, but there needs to be a step forward. It is important that is our attitude. You cannot make that step in three or four years by making sure that I stay until 2000-and-something. It just makes sure that I will stay until then."
No major signings at Liverpool this summer
Liverpool lost just one Premier League game last season, earning 97 points but falling short of a first league title since 1990. Klopp said he was only worried about his team, who have had a relatively quiet transfer window, with just Sepp van den Berg coming in and Alberto Moreno and Daniel Sturridge moving on. The Reds boss believes champions Manchester City are again favourites to win the league but hopes his side can stay close to Guardiola's in the title race.
"[I am] completely focused on Liverpool. Completely," he said. "It would be great if we could be around Man City again because that's the only possibility to have to pass them because it is already clear they are the big favourite again. No problem with that. They have a very good situation, which they showed last year especially after having 100 points in the season before – the greed they showed, the determination they showed, it was just impressive."