- Liverpool are relaying the Anfield pitch for the first time in more than 15 years
- Jurgen Klopp and Brendan Rodgers both bemoaned the surface in recent years
- The club's new chief executive Peter Moore also begins his new job on Thursday
- Liverpool news: Philippe Coutinho to captain Brazil for the first time in his career
The new Main Stand may finally be
completed, but construction work at Anfield is back underway as
Liverpool rip up the pitch at their famous ground for the first time
since 2001.
Jurgen Klopp blamed the Anfield surface for his side's failure to beat Southampton in May.
The German said the pitch was too dry and the Merseyside club will now
lay a new playing surface this summer alongside a state-of-the-art
drainage and irrigation system.
Work on
expanding the old stadium meant relaying the pitch was not feasible
over the last couple of years. But with Champions League football set to
return to Anfield next season, the club want to have a completely new
surface laid well in time for August's qualifier.
Changes are in the offing in the Anfield
boardroom, too, with new chief executive Peter Moore officially starting
his role on Thursday.
Changes are in the offing in the Anfield
boardroom, too, with new chief executive Peter Moore officially starting
his role on Thursday.
His first task
is to help the Liverpool boss to be more competitive. Moore, former
chief competition officer of gaming company EA Sports, has been brought
in purely in a business role with football operations - including
transfer negotiations and player contracts - undertaken by sporting
director Michael Edwards.
Moore will
concentrate on the financial side and fill the vacuum there has been
since predecessor Ian Ayre's departure in February put even more focus
on Klopp as the club's only real public figure.
While Moore will not be involved in
transfers he still has to ratify all expenditure and it is understood
that will mean fully backing Klopp in this summer's transfer window as
the manager looks to significantly strengthen the squad for a return to
the Champions League.
The
Liverpool-born 62-year-old is a boyhood fan but that will not mean he
will be signing off on lavish spending as it is understood he is a firm
believer in owners Fenway Sports Group's established policy of finding
value for money in the transfer market.
However,
with Klopp targeting the likes of Southampton defender Virgil van Dijk
and RB Leipzig midfielder Naby Keita that could still see a £100million
outlay in the summer.
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