Alisson Becker confirms Liverpool coach will stay as Pep Lijnders makes X-rated Jurgen Klopp admission

Anfield waved goodbye to a number of key coaching staff alongside Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp on Sunday.

Klopp has been adamant that the focus should be shared between all six departing members and made the point by running towards the Kop arm-in-arm with them after making his farewell speech.

The most notable of these is assistant Pep Lijnders, who is set to take up the role of head coach at RB Salzburg in Austria this summer. Head of fitness Andreas Kornmayer, assistant Peter Kraweitz, goalkeeping coaches John Achterberg and Jack Robinson, and elite development coach Vitor Matos also all bowed out this weekend.

READ MORE: Sky Sports figures show Man City can't compete with Liverpool no matter how many titles they win

READ MORE: No Darwin Nunez or Mohamed Salah - How Arne Slot's first Liverpool squad could look this summer

However, not all backroom members are leaving Merseyside, as Alisson Becker seemed to confirm on Sunday...

Alisson Becker confirms Liverpool coach will stay

Goalkeeper coach Claudio Taffarel is set to stay at Anfield, according to comments from Alisson. The fellow Brazilian joined Liverpool in 2021 and worked with the outgoing Robertson and Achterberg, the latter destined to link up with Steven Gerrard in Saudi Arabia.

Paying tribute to the aforementioned coaching duo, Alisson told Stadium Astro on Sunday: "I think all of these guys, they did an amazing job. Of course, we wanted to have them around [for longer]. In my case as a goalkeeper working directly with Jonny and Jack…"

Former Liverpool star Steve McManaman chipped in: "But Taff’s staying isn’t he, Taff is staying?" prompting Alisson to reply: "Looks like, looks like.”

The ECHO says: “Alisson clearly values his overheads and with Taffarel seemingly staying, it provides consistency and familiarity in one of the most important areas of the pitch. Such figures will be highly-valued by Arne Slot, or should be.

“With so many backroom staff departing alongside Klopp, there is a danger that the culture built up during their stay dissipates. Having former members of staff present will be key to ensuring the new marries with the old with fewer teething problems.”

Pep Lijnders: I begged Jurgen Klopp to play Trent Alexander-Arnold in midfield

Lijnders has revealed how he implored Klopp to try Trent-Alexander Arnold in midfield, even joking that he would give up his entire salary to ensure it happened. Over the last season, the defender has often come inside to play the quarterback role with his long balls and pinpoint crosses.

“My idea constantly was: the best No. 6 I had in the under-16s was Trent Alexander-Arnold,” Lijnders explained to The Redmen TV. “It's also to have Trent in a position where the ball can fly from left to right.

“What I said constantly to Jurgen was: 'We have to do it'. 'But Pep, blah blah blah’ [Klopp complained]. 'We have to do it'.

“Until I was so sick of it that I went to Jurgen in this office and said, ‘Jurgen, next year you can f****** have all my f****** salary.

"If we don't do it in the next game, it's done for me. I can't. We need the extra player, we need Trent there. I tell you it will work, it will work.”

The ECHO says: “Alexander-Arnold certainly gives Liverpool a new dynamic when he comes inside, and he has proved a handful when he does. The question is whether he can play an entire match there, start to finish.

“Arne Slot likes to play with a double-pivot and so Alexander-Arnold offers an option as a defensive midfielder in an area Liverpool are not blessed with numbers.

"Conor Bradley’s emergence also allows the 25-year-old more scope to go into midfield, but with Lijnders going, that option is now very much up to the discretion of Slot and his team.”