12 May 2023 , 11:34
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Liverpool cult hero Erik Meijer expects Jorg Schmadtke to repeat the transfer tricks which saw Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah join Liverpool in a perfect fit for Jurgen Klopp.
The Reds are reportedly close to bringing Schmadtke to the club to become their new sporting director, with Julian Ward departing after just 12 months having succeeded Michael Edwards last summer. This season has been a tough one for Liverpool as Klopp's men look unlikely to qualify for the Champions League and without silverware.
The Reds have been left trailing and their squad needs some serious investment in the summer, particularly with six players out of contract, but their success under Klopp has not necessarily been built on big-name signings. Players such as Salah and Mane arrived without huge fanfare but both went on to become serial winners at the club.
Liverpool's owner, John W. Henry, has spoken about the need to spend responsibly this summer, with Schmadtke expected to arrive from Wolfsburg to fulfil this role. Schmadtke played with former Liverpool player Meijer at Schalke in the late '90s and the latter has spoken about how his former team-mate follows a similar tendency to Klopp in signing players who have room for improvement.
Meijer, who played 26 times for Liverpool between 1999 and 2000 told Mail Online : "Jorg finds managers that can make clubs better and players that managers can make better. And that is what Jurgen Klopp loves; players you can make better, he never wants the finished article.
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"He much prefers being with those who know their best days are in front of them. Jurgen, I believe, respects him a lot. He wants people around him that are the best at their jobs.
"Jurgen has never said he knows the answer for everything. He doesn't want people who will only say yes or do what he says. Jorg is his own man and not afraid to speak out when he has a strong view."
Jorg Schmadtke has been tipped to bring success to Liverpool ((Photo by Nico Paetzel/DeFodi Images via Getty Images))Schmadtke joined Wolfsburg in 2018, with the club having drifted in the previous two seasons with successive 16th place finishes. However, just two years later the Bundesliga club were in the Champions League, having secured a fourth place finish during the 2020/21 campaign.
Meijer continued by explaining how Schmadtke's perfectionism and toughness could serve Liverpool well. He added: "If you look at Jorg, he always seems to have a stern face, like he's waiting to criticise, but that's just him wanting the very best he can get from a situation. He's always looking for perfection - if that's possible.
"Sometimes it means he has to be hard with what he says. He isn't afraid to speak out. If you want to be good, you have to be hard. Sometimes people don't like it."