• German commits his future to Anfield club with four-year extension • ‘We are at the beginning of our journey’ says manager

Jürgen Klopp has signed a new six-year contract at Liverpool, just nine months after he arrived at the club as manager.

The club’s owner, Fenway Sports Group, has been so impressed with the German, who guided predecessor Brendan Rodgers’ squad to the Capital One Cup and Europa League and finals, that they approached him about an extension in order for him and them to be able to plan for the future. Klopp was initially contracted to 2018 with the option of another year.

Klopp’s senior backroom staff who followed him from Borussia Dortmund, Zeljko Buvac and Peter Krawietz, have also signed extensions.

“It’s hard to express in words how honoured myself, Zeljko and Peter feel by the commitment shown in us by the ownership and the club in general,” said Klopp. “We are very much at the beginning of our journey, but to already have the connection we have with this very special place is incredible.

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“I am the first to recognise that with this great commitment comes a great responsibility. All of our coaching careers we have looked to make teams and clubs better, with the ultimate goal of making the supporters proud and happy. To do this we have to make sure we always put player and team development at the heart of every major decision.

“It is my job to lead that and ensure every element of the LFC football environment reflects the best practices in the game. It is fantastic that the club’s ownership is just as committed to this as we are.”

Klopp added: “There is much to do and much to achieve and we look to do this by being the most completely together group anywhere in the world. That’s everyone and we all have responsibility for it - all of us who are part of this LFC family: players, staff, ownership and of course the supporters. By being together at all times, we will be stronger, better and our successes sweeter.”

Liverpool’s principal owner, John Henry, the chairman, Tom Werner, and the FSG president, Mike Gordon, released a joint statement. It reads: “When you have an individual of Jürgen’s quality in the building it makes perfect sense to secure that person for the long term. To not do so would be irresponsible.

“The overriding motivation behind this decision is Jürgen’s commitment to overall improvement and development. In Jürgen we have someone who is always looking ahead, always looking beyond his own wants and needs and putting the club first.

“The ideas and plans he has for the football infrastructure excite us and we believe it benefits the organisation to have Jürgen committed to Liverpool for a sustained period, to make sure he is here to oversee this development. By making this commitment to him, we are taking away any future distractions or doubt. We will move forward in partnership together, with confidence in each other and with the club’s future at the forefront of every decision.

“He is a world-class managerial talent and his leadership will be critical to everything we hope to achieve in the years ahead.”