Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool assistant lands new job as first-team coach before season ends
Jurgen Klopp’s assistant Pepijn Lijnders has left Liverpool to become the new RB Salzburg head coach.
Lijnders will sign for the Austrian club on a three-year contract this summer, having spent close to a decade at Liverpool.
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Lijnders was at the club before Klopp, joining in 2014The 41-year-old was already set to leave the Reds after Jurgen Klopp made the decision to step down earlier this year.
“I am very proud to become the new head coach of FC Red Bull Salzburg,” said Lijnders, who will be joined by Liverpool development coach Vitor Matos as his No. 2.
“This is a real privilege for me. After PSV Eindhoven, FC Porto and Liverpool FC, I am now moving to another exceptional club with a really good structure and a particular focus on youth development.
“I want to develop a mentality with the team that places a lot of emphasis on attacking style of play and where passion and hunger for success are the basis of everything.
READ MORE ON LIVERPOOL”Together with my assistant coach Vitor Matos and the entire support team, we will do our best to help the club continue to grow in an ever-changing football world.
“My family has visited the city before and was overwhelmed by its beauty and the friendliness of the people. That was the last and important step for me in choosing FC Red Bull Salzburg.”
This will be Lijnders’ second role as a manager, after a brief stint as manager of Dutch club NEC Nijmegen, which he held for seven months.
He returned to Anfield after getting sacked for failing to land promotion to the Eredivisie.
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Lijnders has overseen grand success at Liverpool including winning the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup with KloppLijnders first arrived at Liverpool in 2014 as a coach for the Under-16s before rapidly impressing his bosses and stepping up to first-team development coach in 2015.
The Dutchman initially worked under Brendan Rodgers before remaining with the senior set-up after the arrival of Klopp.
After his stint at NEC Nijmegen, Lijnders returned to Liverpool as assistant manager ahead of the 2018/19 campaign, a role he had held ever since.
Lijnders is just one of several members of Liverpool staff who will depart this summer, alongside Matos, as Feyenoord boss Arne Slot looks set to take over from Klopp.
The Dutchman is set to arrive with his own backroom of staff while renowned sporting director Michael Edwards has returned to his previous role.
