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On the one hand, judging who is the best of quite frankly, a stellar bunch of candidates to be the best Liverpool manager should be an easy process. You simply look at trophies lifted, games won, goals scored. The length of time also comes into play. But there are a lot of other factors that serve to muddy the water. The place the club were in when that person took over, not just in terms of league position, but the players at his disposal, the moral of the club is a big factor. The state of the competition at that time should not be ignored either. Finally the state of the club after he left should be taken into consideration. All of those factors need to be considered if you are to come up with the best manager of all time. So how does Klopp rate?

The Statistics: In terms of silverware, Bob Paisley is head and shoulders ahead of anyone else, with 19 from his nine seasons at the helm. Bill Shankly and Kenny Dalglish (over his two spells) come in joint second with ten trophies each. Klopp’s haul currently stands at third place, though currently he’s having a tough season, the team is usually on comparison platforms such as oddschecker on the odds to win the Premier League.

When it comes to winning percentage, the German comes out top, with a 61.33 winning percentage from his 256 games in charge. Dalglish is the only other person to get over sixty percent, with 60.93% for his first spell, registering just 47.3% in his second. Paisley’s 57.57% is particularly impressive, achieved as it was over such a sustained period. Shankly incidentally achieved 52.11%.

The points per game (adjusted for when it was just two points for a win) again shows it is Dalglish and Klopp occupying the top two spots. Kenny’s first spell garnered an average of 2.08 points a game to Klopp’s 2.04. The next is Paisley on 1.97.

The way that Liverpool have played in these last two seasons in particular has been something that has been behind a lot of the praise for Klopp’s regime. That is borne out in the goals per game stats. Jurgen’s reign has seen the highest figure of any manager, coming in at 2.06. Dalglish’s first spell is the only other one to get higher than two (2.01).

One stat that may be surprising is the average goal difference per game, as the defence under Klopp has been held up as a corner stone of the team’s success. It is at 1.05, still better than any other manager apart from Dalglish, again in his first spell, when he registered a very impressive 1.17.

The thing with all of those statistics however is that they should not be viewed alone. For every one of those sets of data, the years preceding Klopp’s tenure at the club showed some of the worst, if not the worse figures in the club’s history. Those preceding Dalglish, were healthy looking, he was able to build on the success that Paisley and Shankly (and Fagan) had built. Klopp has not just started to achieve success, but he has had to almost from scratch, built a squad capable of achieving that success.

Not A Case of Buying Success

Know we’ve digested the hard stats, it will be good to look at some softer, less black and white factors. The season before Jurgen arrived at Anfield (2014/2015), the Reds finished 6th. They had lost Suarez the previous summer, and that season was Gerrard’s last, likewise for Raheem Sterling. It was a side filled with decent EPL players, but with very few stars, players you could point at and say were genuine not just match winners, but title winners.

Critics point to the amount of money Klopp has spent (£424,000,000 since his arrival in October 2015, on 23 players). That is considerably lower than the likes of the two Manchester clubs, and you have to look at the comparative base those three clubs were coming from in terms of squad value at that time. And that word value is key to this.

Because of the millions of pounds spent at EPL clubs, it is easy to forget that value is something held so close to the heart of clubs and their boards. It is easy to look at Klopp’s big money buys, but perhaps his biggest success stories have been in the way he has got the most out of not just those, but all members of his squad. Divock Origi for example played a crucial part in the Champions League success a couple of seasons ago. The way he has been able to get Oxlade Chamberlain back looking like the player he looked like he was going to be in his early Arsenal days is also a testament to Klopp’s coaching and man management skills.

Those are the factors that will get lost over time – in much the same way that players’ and managers’ stock improves year after they have actually been active in the game. They are a vital piece of the jigsaw though and certainly should not be ignored when evaluating Klopp’s performance. There is one huge aspect missing, and parallels can be drawn with Arsène Wenger. No matter how good your record, the state you leave the club in does go a hell of a long way to how you are viewed, especially in the short to mid-term. Wenger was undoubtedly one of Arsenal’s greatest managers, but the club he left in a poor state, with the fans divided and a squad not fit for purpose.

For Klopp to be considered the best in Liverpool’s illustrious history, he still has some way to go, and it will not be achieved merely courtesy of winning percentages. He needs to get the club expecting to, and actually winning trophies year on year, and when he does decide hang up his manager’s coat, he needs to leave the club in a position where his successor can continue in the same, or similar vein. This is about the club, not one man. At the moment, the signs are very good, that both Klopp and Liverpool are on their way to achieving that.

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Wolverhampton Wanderers’ deal for Joao Gomes is not as straightforward as it had appeared last week but it seems as if the Old Gold are still confident of making him their fourth addition of the January transfer window.

What’s the word?

Recent reports had claimed that Lyon were in negotiations with Flamengo for the 21-year-old as they attempted to hijack Wolves’ deal for the Brazilian.

Wolves have already seen a £15m bid accepted by Flamengo and it is suggested that he is keen on a move to the Premier League rather than Ligue 1.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Dean Jones provided the latest on Wolves’ hopes of signing the midfield maestro.

He said:

“I think they are still quite confident because they’ve done their groundwork on it.

“I think they’ve put themselves in a reasonable position, so we’ll have to wait and see how the next 24 hours or so goes and whether they decide to search elsewhere.”

Bye-bye Nunes?

Wolves boss Julen Loeptegui has already added Matheus Cunha, Pablo Sarabia and Mario Lemina in the January transfer window and the arrival of Gomes could see Wolves become overstocked in midfield.

The 21-year-old would undoubtedly arrive as a first-team player at Molineux given his impressive experience with Flamengo, for whom he has made 117 appearances.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig was full of praise for Gomes’ potential back in 2021, writing:

“João Gomes is such a unique player. Fantastic mix of midfield destroyer, deep-lying playmaker and box-to-box midfielder. Tireless runner, amazing work rate and tenacity mixed with really good technique and playmaking skills. He always gives 100% on the pitch. Warrior.”

Therefore, with so many midfield options to choose from, Lopetegui may well be forced to cash in on club-record signing Matheus Nunes, who has attracted serious interest from Liverpool recently despite his struggles since joining from Sporting Lisbon.

The Portuguese midfielder has no goals and just one assist in 16 Premier League appearances, averaging a disappointing 6.50 rating from WhoScored, as he has failed to live up to his £38m fee.

The prospect of selling him to Liverpool and bringing in a younger, potentially more exciting prospect in Gomes as his replacement could prove to be very good business by Wolves, so fans will surely be glad to hear that the Old Gold are still confident of doing a deal this month.

Aston Villa have been linked with a host of names this winter, with head coach Unai Emery looking to bolster the squad across multiple departments, and now Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech could be targeted following a recent report…

What’s the word?

Chelsea’s Ziyech arrived at Stamford Bridge for £33m in January 2020, but has since failed to cement a regular starting role within the club despite his abundance of flair and guile, and Villa are indeed among the interested suitors.

That’s according to The Athletic, who state that Emery is after a striker and a winger before the close of the window, with Ziyech being someone the manager admires.

With Lyon talisman Moussa Dembele reportedly a further player of interest at Villa Park, a swoop for the wily Moroccan could be the icing on the cake, with the Spaniard Emery thus wielding what could sharpen into a truly devastating offence.

Big Coutinho upgrade

Considering the calibre of creativity that brims from Ziyech’s boots, it would be ludicrous for Aston Villa to fail to even attempt to land the signature of one of the Premier League’s most naturally talented outlets.

The report continues that Udinese’s former Emery favourite Gerard Deulofeu is also of interest, following previous news on the player’s prospective transfer to the Midlands, but the hierarchy must carefully consider their options, and if Ziyech’s availability indeed bobs to the surface, swift action must be taken.

At the 2022 World Cup, where Ziyech served as a centrepiece in Morocco’s monumental fourth-place finish, his calibre was on full show once again, with the star recording an average Sofascore rating of 6.91 having clinched a goal and an assist, also unleashing 1.6 shots per game and one key pass, while displaying his defensive prowess with a stunning 1.4 tackles and interceptions each outing.

It is this level of tenacity that will leave him in superb stead to shine under Emery’s wing, with Villa building the blocks for a unit of genuine quality, perhaps even pushing for a coveted European spot across the next several seasons.

As per FBref, the “monster” – as lauded by Squawka – ranks among the top 12% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for total shots, the top 10% for passes completed, the top 14% for progressive passes and the top 15% for tackles – and it is indeed this all-encompassing scope of skill that has left the Claret & Blue boss enticed.

He is a comparable player to Villa’s Philippe Coutinho, who has been woeful this term, and could represent a marked improvement on a formerly sensational ace who has one eye on his outfit’s exit door, according to Goal.

The 30-year-old South American joined the club in an £18m after initially joining on loan last winter, but has failed to make a goal contribution this season from 19 displays, recording an average league rating of 6.61, his departure might indeed be forthcoming.

The 50-cap phenom that is Ziyech is falling out of favour at Chelsea, still exhibiting his quality, but likely requiring an exit if he wishes to rekindle his talismanic aura, and at Villa Park the perfect stomping ground arises.

With Coutinho indeed bearing much semblance to his positional peer, there is no question that Villan technical director Johan Lange must make a swoop; the beleaguered Brazilian is indeed floundering and might depart this year, and the £22m-rated Ziyech could slot right into a Coutinho shaped hole and finally give the outfit the fluid ingenuity to unlock the door to success.

Leeds United are still looking at making more signings this month, according to Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Leeds’ January

The Whites have had a mixed bag throughout January, with them picking up just two points from a possible nine in the Premier League, while eventually pushing Cardiff City aside in the FA Cup, winning the replay 5-2 after a late comeback had saved their blushes in Wales.

Meanwhile, their transfer business has so far been positive, with the signings of Max Wober and club-record transfer Georginio Rutter bolstering Leeds’ squad.

However, results are yet to suggest they will steer clear of trouble come May, with the Whites just a point above the relegation zone – albeit with a game in hand on their rivals at the bottom.

The Latest: Jones’ comments

Speaking to GiveMeSport about Jesse Marsch’s new record signing, Jones also revealed that more incomings at Elland Road aren’t off the table, saying:

“That’s a really, really big transfer to get done. And again, it just shows that the club are committed to try and keep this side in the Premier League and are pushing everything into doing that.

“So, we can’t rule out the possibility of other players coming in at the moment.”

The Verdict: Who could arrive?

With the Whites looking nervously over their shoulder at the drop zone amid a winless run of six league games dating back to before the World Cup, incomings have to be expected given their current position.

One obvious player who’s been hotly linked with a move to Elland Road is Morocco World Cup star Azzedine Ounahi, who has been rumoured to make a £26m switch to West Yorkshire by 90min.

However, Sport Witness has previously reported that Aston Villa have also entered the race to sign him, leaving presenter Conor McGilligan worried they will be financially outmuscled by a side ten points ahead of them at present.

Another target attracting huge interest from Europe is Roma’s attacking midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo, who has been linked with a move to Leeds by Calciomercato, but with touted clubs such as Arsenal and Chelsea ahead of the Whites, that could also be considered unlikely.

We think both signings would be massive coups if they can be pulled off given the relative interest and the player’s reputations, and it could well be an interesting end to the month at Elland Road if Jones’ comments are anything to go by.

Journalist Rob Guest has revealed that Tottenham Hotspur director Fabio Paratici personally approached Arnaut Danjuma to praise him after scoring on his debut.

What’s the word?

Earlier this week, the winger arrived at Spurs on loan for the season, signing from Villarreal despite having been very close to joining Everton instead.

And the 25-year-old has spent little time settling into his new environment as he scored in his first appearance for Tottenham as the club claimed a FA Cup victory.

Indeed, playing away at Preston North End, a brace from Son Heung-min gave Spurs a comfortable lead before Danjuma came off the bench to net a third on his debut.

After the game, Guest noted that sporting director Paratici took the time to put an arm around the shoulder of the goalscorer, to presumably praise the loanee for his immediate contribution.

In an article for football.london, he explained: “Managing director of football Fabio Paratici was watching on behind the goal as a handful of players, including Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Ben Davies, went through some runs. Once those involved had finished and made their way back towards the tunnel, Paratici shared a brief moment with Danjuma as he wrapped his arm around his shoulders and said a few words to him.

“The Italian will undoubtedly have been praising his new signing after marking his Tottenham debut in the best way possible. Bolstering Tottenham’s attack going into the business end of the season, the arrival of Danjuma could turn out to be a very shrewd deal for the Lilywhites.”

Instant impact

As mentioned before, Danjuma had been very close to joining the Toffees instead – he even completed a medical with the Premier League rival – so Paratici might have enjoyed getting this deal done more than most due to the dramatic nature of the move.

And Spurs are already reaping the rewards of getting the loan sorted with Danjuma netting just 16 minutes after coming on off the bench to make his debut for the club. In that period, he only managed to touch the ball three times, but he sure made one of those touches count.

Of course, one of the advantages to signing the 25-year-old is that he is familiar with English football – having scored 17 goals in 52 outings with Bournemouth – and so Antonio Conte and co will be hoping this immediate impact is a sign of things to come over the coming months.

It hasn’t been a good few weeks for Paratici, who could be banned from football for a period of time due to his past involvement with Juventus, but he’ll be delighted to see one of his new signings coming good at Spurs.

Southampton are hoping to complete the signing of Sporting Braga striker Vitinha before the close of the January transfer market tonight…

What’s the word?

That is according to The Athletic’s Saints reporter Jacob Tanswell, who stated via Twitter on Monday evening that the Premier League club are “in talks” with the Portuguese outfit, with the player holding a €30m (£26.4m) release clause.

Tanswell added that while the south coast club have expressed interest in Lyon striker Moussa Dembele, who is out of contract at the end of the campaign, the French forward is “no longer a viable target”.

Adams upgrade

While Southampton are eyeing three centre-forwards ahead of the transfer window’s conclusion tonight, Vitinha might be the best-placed option to truly kickstart Nathan Jones’ tenure at St Mary’s.

The aforementioned Dembele is perhaps a more recognisable name than the 22-year-old, but in the young Portuguese gem, Saints boss Jones could unleash a talented prospect with a vast scope to develop, possibly being nurtured into one of the division’s most devastating marksmen.

Having clinched 13 goals and five assists from 27 appearances this season, including four goals in the Europa League, Vitinha is swiftly emerging as one of Portugal’s most exciting young starlets, having nearly matched his 2021/22 tally of 14 goals across all competitions already this term.

One scout report hailed his “complete” skill set, blistering pace and imposing physicality, attributes which will only enhance his hopes of soaring in the Premier League for a Southampton outfit currently embroiled in a relegation scrap.

Journalist Zach Lowy bestowed glimmering praise on the prodigy, saying that he’s “one of the best” players to forge their trade out of Liga Portugal at present, and that the Saints would clinch “one of the steals of the window” with his acquisition. 

Should Vitinha indeed arrive at St Mary’s, he would be a marked improvement on the struggling Che Adams, who has scored 29 goals from 135 appearances since his £15m move from Birmingham City in 2019 but has only managed four league goals this term for the Premier League’s bottom club.

Adams ranks outside the top 25% of every main metric that FBref has to offer, while Vitinha ranks among the top 5% of positional peers for shot-creating actions and completed dribbles, albeit compared to those outside of the ‘big five’ European divisions.

Regardless, the fresh life and transitional nature of this exciting young forward is exactly what Southampton need, and it might finally be time to ditch Adams, who is not providing the spark to steer the club away from their relegation predicament.

Tottenham Hotspur could be on the lookout for a new goalkeeper ahead of the summer transfer window, if recent reports are to be believed…

What’s the word?

One target that has emerged is FC Porto and Portugal no.1, Diogo Costa, after 90min claimed that the Lilywhites had been scouting him ahead of a potential swoop.

Spurs are one of several Premier League teams to have taken a close look at the 23-year-old, whilst free-spending Chelsea and Manchester United are also named in the report.

The Portuguese shot-stopper is thought to have a €75m (£66m) release clause at the Estadio do Dragao, so he’s unlikely to come cheap.

Bye-bye Lloris?

Perhaps it should come as little surprise to see the north Londoners keeping tabs on other goalkeepers heading into next season as current first-choice and club captain Hugo Lloris has been quite erratic, if not wholly inconsistent.

His form has arguably taken a dip over the last 18 to 24 months but since his return from the World Cup – where his France side tasted defeat in the final to Cristian Romero and Argentina – he hasn’t been the same.

Aston Villa punished a big blunder on New Year’s Day to secure all three points at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium before the 36-year-old conceded an own goal to league leaders and arch-rivals Arsenal, then against Manchester City a couple of weeks ago, he was easily beaten at his near post.

Such form has led to criticism, with many slamming the £100k-per-week star as a “liability” and the “weak link” in defence, which is not something that manager Antonio Conte will want lingering around next season – if he’s still in the dugout.

Costa could prove to be a natural and long-term successor, one that is ready now.

Having taken the gloves from Jose Sa and Rui Patricio in Qatar, the 6 foot 1 titan has emerged as one of Europe’s most promising young goalkeepers – having also been dubbed as a “wall” by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

With 93 senior appearances, four major honours and 11 caps already under his belt, Costa is far from inexperienced, so he really could be an option that’s ready to take between the sticks now, rather than in a few years’ time.

When Costa is compared to fellow goalkeepers in FBref’s ‘next eight’ divisions, he’s in a league of his own, ranking inside the top 1% for goals conceded (just 0.61 per 90), whilst he also sits among the top 2% for clean sheet percentage (54.8%) and the top 12% for crosses stopped (8.5%) per 90.

The latter facet is arguably one of Lloris’ weak points, with the French veteran conceding more goals per 90 (1.13), keeping fewer clean sheets per 90 (37.8%) and stopping fewer crosses (6.9%), per FBref.

Therefore, Spurs sporting director Fabio Paratici could allow Conte to finally ditch the long-serving Lloris with a summer swoop for the Porto “giant” – as once hailed by his Portugal teammate Bruno Fernandes – as on the above evidence, he’d be a likely upgrade in the long run.

AND in other news, “It’s absolutely amazing…” – Alasdair Gold still stunned by “incredible” situation at Spurs…

Alasdair Gold has shared a transfer update on Tottenham Hotspur’s interest in Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni.

The Lowdown: Spurs linked with Bastoni…

Spurs have been linked with a move to sign the 23-year-old in previous months, with reports dating as far back as last summer.

Antonio Conte is apparently a fan of Bastoni and potentially sees the defender as someone who could seriously upgrade Tottenham’s central defensive options.

The Nerazzurri ace’s contract is slowly winding down, too, with Bastoni now entering the final 17 months of his deal at the San Siro.

The Latest: Gold shares Bastoni to Spurs update…

Speaking in a football.london Q&A, reliable transfer reporter Gold claims that Bastoni is among Spurs’ top summer transfer targets as they eye a move for him.

However, much will depend on his contract situation, especially since the player’s price could drop a ‘fair bit’ if Bastoni doesn’t renew terms with Inter.

Gold explained: “Much depends on these new contract talks and whether Bastoni signs on at Inter again. Spurs have retained their interest in the Italy international and he is still among their top summer targets. Of course, with just a year left on his contract at that point, his price tag also drops a fair bit.”

The Verdict: Get it done…

Bastoni would be an undoubted asset at Tottenham, so Conte and Spurs supporters will surely be hoping that these new contract talks with Inter eventually lead nowhere.

As per WhoScored, the centre-back ranks among Inter’s top four players in terms of tackles won, interceptions made, successful clearances and blocks attempted per game.

The Italian would bring both youth and dynamism to the Spurs backline as a signing of real longevity for future seasons – even beyond Conte’s reign at the club.

Bastoni has already been heralded as a defensive ‘genius’ for his exploits in Serie A, with Transfermarkt valuing him at around £49m. As he approaches the final year of his Inter deal, this value could drop significantly, leaving little wonder as to why Spurs are keeping close tabs.

Aston Villa full-back Ashley Young has been ‘passed fit’ for this afternoon’s trip to Manchester City, according to Ashley Preece.

The Lowdown: Injury scare

The veteran has played his part under Unai Emery this season, making 20 appearances in all competitions. The 37-year-old has lined out at right-back and left-back and was enjoying a run in the team in the former position in recent weeks (Transfermarkt).

However, he was forced off against Leicester City last weekend with an apparent injury, but it looks as if the experienced Villa man is in line to make a swift recovery.

The Latest: Young ‘passed fit’ for City clash

Reliable reporter Preece took to Twitter on Friday afternoon to share an update from Emery’s pre-Manchester City press conference.

He said that Young has been ‘passed fit’ to feature today, adding that Bertrand Traore could also be included in the matchday squad following his recent return to training.

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The Verdict: Good news for Villa

Young has been Villa’s best-performing defender this season according to WhoScored metrics, so knowing that he is available is positive news for Emery ahead of this afternoon’s trip to the Etihad Stadium.

He notably impressed in the meeting against Pep Guardiola’s side at Villa Park in September, with Gregg Evans describing his performance as ‘excellent’ after replacing Matty Cash. Having won four tackles and four duels and made six clearances (Sofascore), that praise was very much justified.

It’ll be interesting to see who Emery selects at right-back at the Etihad today, and having strength in depth can only be good news for the Villa manager.

Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves would be ‘delighted’ with a move to Barcelona in the summer transfer window, according to a new transfer report.

The Lowdown: Barca linked with Neves signing

The 25-year-old’s Molineux future has been a major talking point of late, with numerous clubs linked with a move for him ahead of a potential summer exit.

Barca have been one of the leading candidates to snap up Neves at the end of the season, as Xavi looks to sign a replacement for midfield legend Sergio Busquets.

Now a new update suggests that the Wolves hero could well end up in Spain this summer.

The Latest: New update emerges

According to El Desmarque [via Sport Witness], Jorge Mendes has ‘once again offered’ Barca the chance to sign Neves, with the Catalan giants liking him ‘a lot’ as a player.

It is also stated that the Portuguese star ‘would be delighted’ to move to Camp Nou, further adding fuel to the fire.

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The Verdict: Hard to turn them down

With each passing week, the more it does feel as though Neves really will depart this summer, having almost miraculously stayed put last time around.

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The 38-cap Portugal international would surely jump at the opportunity to join Barca, given their prestige as a club, not to mention having past Portuguese greats such as Luis Figo and Deco play for them.

Ideally, Neves would sign an extension on his Wolves deal that runs until 2024, but he may feel he has now outgrown the club’s current level, especially if they are relegated from the Premier League.

The £50,000-a-week midfielder has been a great servant for Wanderers, making 238 appearances and being hailed as ‘incredible’ by Hugo Bueno, but it would be hard to begrudge him such a big transfer.