Football
Mark Ogden, Senior Writer, ESPN FC 7y

Liverpool back in the big time, but Klopp must spend wisely to compete

Within seconds of the final whistle blowing at Anfield, the PA system rang out with "The Boys are Back in Town" as the stadium began to celebrate Liverpool's return to the Champions League with a 3-0 home victory against Middlesbrough.

The Anfield DJ had plenty of options -- "The Long and Winding Road" might have been more appropriate -- but he went for the Thin Lizzy hit to reflect both the joy and relief after Liverpool secured a top-four Premier League finish for only the second time in eight seasons to claim their place among Europe's elite in the 2017-18 Champions League.

Jurgen Klopp's team must still negotiate the playoff round in August before entering the Champions League group stages, but they will almost certainly be among the seeded teams when the draw is made. It would be a surprise if Liverpool were to suffer the same fate as neighbours Everton, in 2005-06, by falling at the first hurdle.

Liverpool's ecstasy reflected Arsenal's anguish, with Arsene Wenger's team missing out on the Champions League for the first time this century, and the wilderness years at Anfield certainly explain the celebrations at the end of this game.

The banner on The Kop, which read "Liverpool FC -- European Royalty," was a fair description of a club with five European Cups on its honours list, but barring the brief sojourn in the competition under Brendan Rodgers in 2014, they have been royalty in exile.

And back in 2014, it was a fleeting return, with a group stage exit memorable only for Rodgers resting captain Steven Gerrard for an away game at Real Madrid.

So it is now almost a decade since Liverpool brought anything to the Champions League party -- they lost the semifinal to Chelsea in 2008 -- and the achievement of a return to the top table must be tempered by a realisation it will take time for the club to regain its standing as European heavyweights.

In Klopp, however, they have a manager who is making progress and laying out a clear roadmap towards a brighter future. He also knows how to challenge in the Champions League, having taken Borussia Dortmund to the final in 2013, but above all else, Klopp is a realist who already knows the job that needs to be done.

"I'm really looking forward to next season," he said. "I think we have created a wonderful base. We have learned a lot about ourselves and we will use this.

"The better you are organised, the more you feel free to do special things in offence, but everything is good in this club at the moment.

"Usually at the end of the season you are tired, but tomorrow, I could start again."

There is building to be done, though, with a squad that can throw up perhaps the most exciting first XI in the Premier League, but one which is clearly weakened by the loss of just one or two players.

And next season will bring other challenges. Liverpool have benefited from a season without the additional workload of European football, but it will be a different story next year and they will have to find a way to compete in the Champions League at the same time as mounting a sustained challenge for the Premier League title.

That Liverpool secured a top-four finish having been without injured captain Jordan Henderson since February and Sadio Mane since the beginning of April is a testament to the spirit injected into the squad by Klopp, but such absences next season will prove more difficult to overcome because of the increased demands on the squad.

Klopp could conceivably need as many as eight new players this summer, particularly if the likes of Lucas Leiva, Alberto Moreno and Daniel Sturridge leave Anfield. There is also the likelihood of the out-of-favour Mamadou Sakho being sold too.

So Klopp must be astute in his transfer dealings and ensure that outgoings are limited in order to ensure that the arrivals become additions rather than mere replacements.

But returning to the Champions League strengthens Liverpool's hand. They will be able to attract better players than in recent summers and they will also have the funds to do so. In the modern parlance of the game, Liverpool will be an appealing "project" for many potential recruits and Klopp's personality is a key factor in what the club has to offer.

If Manchester United win the Europa League and qualify for the Champions League this week, Liverpool will have to compete with two north west rivals in United and Manchester City for players and, financially, they remain unable to rival the Mancunian neighbours.

But they are finally back on the platform which, for Liverpool, really should represent base camp in any season -- by being in the Champions League.

They let the opportunity slip in 2014, when Rodgers failed to sign Alexis Sanchez as a replacement for Luis Suarez, but the club feels much more stable and settled three years on.

Much of that is down to Klopp and he will have plenty of goodwill in the bank among the supporters when next season kicks off. For now, simply being back in the Champions League is an achievement, but those banners on the Kop are there for a reason. They may have replaced Arsenal in the competition, but Anfield will expect more than an anemic exit at the round of 16 stage.

In Klopp, though, there is a sense that Liverpool have a manager who knows that and would not want it any other way.

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