Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders targeted to join major European club at the end of the season

Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders is reportedly being targeted to join Ajax at the end of the season.

With Jurgen Klopp set to step down from his role at Liverpool at the end of the season, the rest of his backroom staff will also follow him out of the door - including Lijnders. There were some early shouts for him to take over the soon-to-be vacant role but he quickly ruled himself out of doing so.

"Nobody will replace Jurgen. I was clear, to be honest, when we had the talk a long time ago – for me it was clear and it made it easier for me. They will find a new coach with ideas and I am excited to manage to find the right club. But until the last final of the season I am focused on Liverpool and that is why we have agents, no?" he said before the Carabao Cup final.

Since then, reports have revealed that he is looking to make his first step into being a manager as he is in talks with Ajax. The Dutch club have struggled this season, currently sitting in fifth place 25 points off runaway leaders PSV Eindhoven and he would be joining back up with former Red Jordan Henderson if he does become the new manager.

As it stands, John van 't Schip is in interim charge until the end of the season having taken over from Maurice Steijn, who was sacked in October. And Lijnders, despite being an assistant, has had managerial experience having taken over from on a few occasions due to touchline suspension for Klopp.

The Liverpool boss previously made it clear the Dutchman was looking to step up in the dugout, saying: “Pep especially is ready – ready to manage a football team and he wants to do that as well, so that’s great, together with Vitor. If you change, change properly. And they are ready for the future and I’m really happy about that. The most influential guy in the last years definitely in this club was Pep Lijnders. The job he did is absolutely exceptional. The inspiration he is for me is absolutely exceptional."