How Arteta and Klopp developed their squads and proved the value in giving a manager time

©TM/IMAGO

This Sunday there’s a huge showdown at the Emirates. League leaders Liverpool come to North London to face an Arsenal side who are in third place, five points behind the Reds. A defeat for Arsenal would leave them with an almighty task to catch Liverpool and Manchester City in the title race, but victory would put them right back amongst it. Pep Guardiola has dominated English football since his arrival in 2016. The fact that the departing Jürgen Klopp and for last season and maybe this one, Mikel Arteta, have run Guardiola close and not let him run away with title after title, is a testament to both managers. There’s certainly no shame in coming second to arguably the greatest manager of all time.

Both Klopp and Arteta inherited clubs that were essentially rotten to the core. Liverpool hadn’t won a league title since 1990 when the German arrived, and had spent five of the previous six seasons outside the top five in the league. When Arteta began his reign at the Emirates, the Gunners were in 11th in the Premier League below Sheffield United, Burnley and Wolves, and had just five wins from 18 games. Both bosses also inherited squads that were in desperate need of a huge transformation.

Liverpool’s squad in 2015 seriously lacked top level quality - not a single player from Klopp’s first ever  line-up started the Reds' 2019 Champions League final victory less than four years later. Arsenal’s recruitment had been poor and lacked foresight and vision for over a decade, and Arteta picked up an ageing squad on lucrative wages. The fact both teams are now challenging in the title race speaks volumes for their head coaches, and is a great advertisement for sticking with a manager, even when times are tough.

How Arteta developed the Arsenal squad

Back in 2019, there was a real feel of anguish and pessimism around Arsenal football club. They hadn’t been in the Champions League since 2017, fans and media outlets were discussing whether Leicester should replace them in the Premier League’s ‘big six’ teams, and AFTV’s (Arsenal Fan TV) scathing videos of the players, managers and club were going viral weekly. Arteta took over a squad that was far more imbalanced and lacking in attitude than it was brimming with quality, hope and promise.

Arsenal’s most valuable player was Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who was 31 years old. Their highest valued centre-backs were 31-year old Sokratis (MV: €14.5m) and 32-year-old David Luiz (MV: €12m). A complete overhaul was needed, but it was a big job and would need to be done gradually. Arteta and Arsenal’s new sporting director Edu had a long term plan. “Trust the process” were the words of the former captain and now manager Arteta. 

Of that squad the Spaniard inherited just over four years ago, only six players remain on the books at Arsenal. Four of which are youth academy products - Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith-Rowe, Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson. The other two are Gabriel Martinelli, who was 19 at the time, and Kieran Tierney who is currently on loan at Real Sociedad. In the time of Arteta being at the club, those six players have gone from a combined market value of €91.2m to €298m. Arteta’s coaching, along with their phenomenal talent, has developed the likes of Saka and Martinelli into world stars.

Due to many older players like Aubameyang, Mesut Özil and Alexandre Lacazette being on high wages, Arsenal couldn't spend big money straight away. In Arteta’s first three transfer windows the clubs spent just €84m. 23-year-old Gabriel (Fee: €26m) and 27-year-old Thomas Partey (Fee: €50m) were brought in the summer of 2021, as Arteta began to build his spine. Then after Arteta and Edu eventually completed the unenviable job of getting big earners like Özil and Aubameyang out the club, the purse strings were opened a little more, and the likes of Martin Ødegaard, Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko were brought in, before the big €116m transfer of Declan Rice from West Ham last summer. The Gunners now have the second most valuable squad in world football at €1.12b. When Arteta took over Arsenal had just the sixth most valuable squad in the Premier League alone, almost €200m short of the value of North London rivals Tottenham. 

Staff

M. Arteta Age: 42

Arsenal FC

Season 23/24 -
Premier League

Games

34

Won

24

Draw

5

Lost

5

It’s easy to forget the mess Arsenal were in when Arteta took over. The job himself and the club’s hierarchy have done to rebuild the squad, reunite the connection between the fans and the team, and get the club challenging at the top end of the league, should not be underestimated. He has renovated the squad and healed some of the wounds from his predecessors. The next step is a major trophy to follow in the footsteps of the man he faces this Sunday - Jürgen Klopp.

How Klopp developed the Liverpool squad

Throughout the 20th century, Liverpool were the powerhouse of English football, winning title after title, and more European Cups than any other British team. However, in the Premier League era, they were largely a sleeping giant, and when Klopp took the reins in 2015, not many took them seriously when it came to competing for the league title and major silverware. Liverpool were 10th in the table when Klopp took charge, and their squad was majorly lacking quality - valued at just €339m.

The most valuable players in Liverpool’s squad were Brazilian duo Roberto Firmino (€35m) and Philippe Coutinho (€32m) who would both go on to play a key part in Klopp’s success. Firmino would go on to be a key player, whilst Coutinho’s €134m sale to Barcelona would fund moves for Virgil van Dijk and Alisson. After Firmino, Jordan Henderson, and James Milner left last summer, only Joe Gomez remains from the squad Klopp inherited in 2015.  

As aforementioned, the signings of Alisson and van Dijk, along with Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané took Liverpool to the next level. Between the 2018/19 and 2019/20 seasons, Liverpool got 197 points from just two Premier League campaigns. They also reached back to back Champions League finals in 2017/18 and 2018/19. And once again in the 2021/22 season Liverpool got over 90 points but it wasn't enough for the title. If it wasn't for Guardiola setting new historic standards in England, then Klopp's trophy cabinet would be bursting at the seams. 

In the 2020 season, Liverpool's squad value hit an all-time high of €1.19b - over three times the value of the squad Klopp inherited five years before. That squad was beginning to age however, and there were major outgoings and incomings this summer to try and get the average age down and build another title challenging team. That's just what the 56-year-old has done. Dominik Szobozslai and Alexis Mac Allister have rejuvenated the midfield, and Liverpool are currently five points clear at the top. 

Staff

J. Klopp Age: 56

Liverpool FC

All seasons -
All competitions

Games

486

Won

302

Draw

99

Lost

85

There is no doubt the connection between Liverpool and Klopp is a special one, emphasised by the emotional reaction from supporters afar to the news of the German leaving at the end of the season. Klopp has seen through the entire process - something Arteta still needs to complete, and will go down as one of the greatest managers to ever do their work on English shores.