Jurgen Klopp has thrown his support behind Germany's Florian Wirtz to become one of the defining figures of the upcoming World Cup in North America. The former Liverpool boss believes his compatriot has already proven his mettle during a challenging debut campaign at Anfield and possesses all the attributes to dominate on the global stage.

Arne Slot declared that the "future was bright" for Liverpool after Tuesday's Champions League elimination but there was no lifting the doom and gloom around Anfield. The hosts hadn't just lost yet another game to Paris Saint-Germain - they'd also lost Hugo Ekitike to injury. Indeed, what little hope Liverpool had of overturning a 2-0 first-leg deficit effectively ended the moment their only fit and in-form forward hit the deck with nobody near him.

Liverpool is having an anti-climactic end to the season after Paris Saint-Germain swatted aside Arne Slot’s men in a Champions League exit that will ensure a trophyless season for the Reds. Jeremie Frimpong has, however, dismissed the idea that the team's difficult campaign should be labelled a failure, using a famous NBA analogy to explain the club's current transition.

Florian Wirtz has insisted that the Liverpool club "owe" supporters qualification for next season's Champions League following their exit from this year's competition. The playmaker has insisted that securing a top-five Premier League finish is now the only way to salvage a challenging campaign at Anfield.

Liverpool are still alive in this season's Champions League. Nobody quite knows how, of course. Arne Slot's side were played off the pitch by Paris Saint-Germain last week but managed to escape from the Parc des Princes with a 2-0 defeat that Jamie Carragher acknowledged actually felt like a "great result" for the visitors, given the chasm in cohesion and confidence between the two teams.

Stephane Richard has wasted no time in making an impact as the new president of Olympique de Marseille, aiming a dig at Liverpool's recent transfer business. Following the Reds' massive investment in the squad last summer, the French executive suggested that heavy spending does not always equate to success on the pitch.