Liverpool board 'have no plans' to sack Brendan Rodgers

The Liverpool Echo reports that Rodgers will be backed in the transfer window this summer despite losing 2-1 to Aston Villa in the FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley.

Liverpool face the prospect of winding up with no trophies this season and no Champions League football next term despite the manager being given £75 million to spend last summer.

In the report, the Echo says: "As things stand, Fenway Sports Group have no plans to change manager, considering the 42-year-old to be central to their long-term strategy at Anfield.

"The Americans plan to conduct a thorough review into this season, once the campaign has finished, but unless there is a significant change of heart in Boston during the next month, Rodgers will be given the chance to continue as Reds boss.

"Sunday’s Wembley loss to Villa has re-opened the debate surrounding Rodgers’ future, with the Ulsterman preparing to complete his third season on Merseyside without silverware. Not since Phil Taylor, back in the 1950s, has a Liverpool manager begun his reign with three trophyless campaigns."

---

"Worst of all was his efforts in the transfer market. The club's American owners sent him to buy some Hugo Boss suits - but he came back with some from Primark. And an empty wallet to boot.

Where does that leave Liverpool now? Well, there's no doubt that they like Rodgers, and in some senses would love to give him another season.

"But that would be a sentimental choice - and John Henry's board, unlike Rodgers, will not make the mistake of letting sentiment dictate their choices.

"And all the more so because of one key fact: the availability of Juergen Klopp.

"There are maybe four or five managers in the world who Liverpool must drop everything for, and Klopp is pretty much top of the list."

--

"Rodgers won't have failed to notice that Jurgen Klopp will be free come the summer, or indeed that a certain Spaniard, who still has a house on Merseyside, saw his team produce the European performance of the week, Napoli's astonishing 4-1 Europa League evisceration of Wolfsburg.

"The climate's closing in. Rodgers deserves another season - but he may have to fight to get it."