Liverpool announce transfer guru’s departure just hours after Jurgen Klopp announced stunning Anfield exit

LIVERPOOL sporting director Jorg Schmadtke is set to leave the club at the end of January.

In an official statement, the 59-year-old said: “Liverpool is a very special club so to have had the opportunity to work here has been a huge honour for me, even though I knew from the outset that it would only be for a short period.

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Jorg Schmadtke will leave Liverpool at the end of the transfer window[/caption]

“I would like to thank everyone – the owners, manager, staff, players and fans – for the support I have been given and offer my best wishes for the rest of this season.”

Schmadtke joined Liverpool in May 2023 following a five-year tenure at Wolfsburg.

He oversaw the transfers of Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch during his time at the club.

Manager Jurgen Klopp previously admitted that he has a “good” relationship with him.

During a press conference, the Reds boss said: “There is nothing really to say about that from me. There must be other people in the club who talk about that.

“My relationship with him is good, my relationship was top with the other two guys (Michael Edwards and Julian Ward) as well, going back to Ian Ayre as well So my relationship is good with these guys.

“I have no doubt. So many people work in and around that department, they are always here. A sporting director like Jorg helped a lot in the last window, definitely but you are right, at the moment it looks like it will be a quiet window, I can guarantee that but at the moment it is all fine.”

The announcement of Schmadtke’s departure came just one hour after the news of Klopp’s summer exit broke.

Klopp announced this morning that he will be leaving Liverpool at the end of the season.

He said: “I can understand that it’s a shock for a lot of people in this moment, when you hear it for the first time, but obviously I can explain it – or at least try to explain it.

“I love absolutely everything about this club, I love everything about the city, I love everything about our supporters, I love the team, I love the staff. I love everything. But that I still take this decision shows you that I am convinced it is the one I have to take.

“It is that I am, how can I say it, running out of energy. I have no problem now, obviously, I knew it already for longer that I will have to announce it at one point, but I am absolutely fine now. I know that I cannot do the job again and again and again and again.

“After the years we had together and after all the time we spent together and after all the things we went through together, the respect grew for you, the love grew for you and the least I owe you is the truth – and that is the truth.”