Breaking: Jurgen Klopp strikes new Liverpool deal

Jurgen Klopp has signed a contract extension with Liverpool that will keep him at the club until 2026, The Athletic understands.

Klopp and his closest staff were already tied down until 2024 and it is believed they have prolonged the agreements by two years.

It had long been expected that Klopp, who took charge in October 2015, would leave Liverpool and take a sabbatical after the 2023-24 campaign.

However, the German has been re-energised by his side’s chase for the quadruple this season and The Athletic reported earlier on Thursday that Liverpool were increasingly confident of prolonging his stay.

Klopp has recently said that he would base a decision on remaining with 19-time champions of England on whether he had the energy for the job.

Mike Gordon, the president of Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group, was in attendance on Wednesday night as Klopp’s men beat Villarreal 2-0 in their Champions League semi-final first leg.

It is thought he was there to help progress a new deal with Klopp, whose agent Marc Kosicke was also at Anfield, sat a few seats away from Gordon.

Liverpool’s owners have been determined to keep Klopp beyond his existing terms and made their move after the indication he wanted to do the same.

Liverpool have already won the Carabao Cup, are one point behind Manchester City at the top of the Premier League, will contest the FA Cup final and have one foot in the Champions League showpiece.

Klopp lifted the Champions League, Club World Cup and Super Cup with Liverpool in 2019, before capturing the Premier League title in 2020