Why the manager of Atalanta could be the ideal successor to Michael Edwards at Liverpool

After Atalanta eliminated Liverpool from the Europa League on Thursday, the Italian team’s manager is now being considered as a possible candidate as the Reds search for a replacement for Jurgen Klopp.

Gian Piero Gasperini might surprise everyone by running for manager of Liverpool after the Reds’ Europa League exit.

In the championship quarterfinals, Gasperini guided his Atalanta team to an aggregate victory over Jurgen Klopp’s team of players, 3-1. The Serie A team’s remarkable 3-0 victory away at Anfield in the first leg served as the cornerstone of their advancement.

Since taking over for La Dea in 2016, the Italian has guided the team to their best-ever finishing place. They have finished in third place three times since then and have been a constant in European competition.

The best teams haven’t paid much attention to Gasperini’s work, but a convincing victory over the Premier League championship contenders has drawn attention. And since Klopp is stepping down at the end of the season, he might be the ideal choice to lead Liverpool as their new manager.

Michael Edwards, Anfield’s recently hired Chief Executive of Football, is spearheading the hunt. Thus far, Edwards has concentrated on creating a staff that embodies his vision for recruitment, hiring Richard Hughes as sporting director from Bournemouth.

With the assurance that he will have complete authority over the transfer market, Edwards has been lured back to Liverpool. He terminated his previous stint there in 2022 as Klopp expanded his influence over hiring.

Gasperini would be the ideal choice in that regard because the Italian would concentrate on coaching. Former Atalanta Head of Football Lee Congerton claims that the seasoned manager gives the recruitment team complete control.

“There is no connection between [Gian Piero] Gasperini and any of the players,” Congerton informed the Daily Telegraph. When you ask for his advice, all he says is to sell anybody you want as long as the people you bring in are superior to the ones you sold. It’s easy.

“The owner, Antonio Percassi, was a professional athlete. And there’s Stephen Pagliuca and his guys from America. Though they are businesspeople, they have a passion for sports. Their goal is to triumph.

It looks like Liverpool is eager to adopt that arrangement. And after addressing the connections to the Liverpool position before to the second leg, it seems like Gasperini would be open to an approach.

“Leadership rumours about me replacing Klopp at Liverpool please me, of course, but I’m more concerned about the football. We have to concentrate on the next games; we can’t be sidetracked by these kinds of linkages or articles,” he stated.

They have a very specific sense of who they are. We will need to play a fantastic game to win, therefore I’m expecting the finest Liverpool team I can muster, a team that will come here to play for all their opportunities.”