El-Hadji Diouf has showered praises on Jurgen Klopp for his development of African players at Liverpool.
Klopp has just two games remaining as Anfield manager before he departs the club. Arriving in October 2015, the German has guided the Reds to seven major trophies – including the Champions League in 2019 and Premier League the following season.
One of Klopp’s first signings as Liverpool boss was Mane from Southampton for a fee of around £34 million. The Senegal winger was at the fulcrum of the trophy-laden period, scoring 120 goals and registered 38 assists in 268 appearances during his six-year spell before leaving for Bayern Munich in 2022.
Meanwhile, Egypt international Mo Salah has scored 211 times and created 87 in 347 outings for the Reds. Fellow Africans Joel Matip (Cameroon) and Naby Keita (Guinea) were also part of Klopp’s squad that saw Liverpool return to the pinnacle of European football.
Diouf spent two years ar Liverpool between 2002-04. And the former Senegal international revealed that Mane has told him that Klopp’s personality is why Liverpool were so successful.
Speaking to rg.org, he said: “I don’t really know him personally but I’m very close to Sadio Mane, and Sadio tells me that [Klopp] is a great guy and the reason he had a very successful time at Liverpool.”
“He’s done great things for most of the African players. The Premier League is the best in the world, I was lucky to play there, and if today we get the chance to have a lot of African players, it will be great for the African game.”
Diouf was much-maligned by wide sections of supporters during his time at Anfield. However, he revealed that he hopes that Liverpool can complete the unlikely achievement of winning the Premier League title in Klopp’s final campaign.
The Reds sit five points behind leaders Arsenal and four adrift of second-placed Manchester City with two matches remaining. However, a City win over Fulham at lunchtime will be the final nail in Liverpool’s coffin.
