Pepijn Lijnders returned to Liverpool FC in a senior role within Jürgen Klopp's coaching set-up during the summer of 2018.

The Dutchman had previously spent three-and-a-half years with the club, initially as U16s coach at the Academy for one season before taking up the newly created position of first-team development coach in 2015.

A crucial link between the youth system in Kirkby and the senior environment at Melwood, his duties grew further following the appointment of Klopp as manager in October 2015 and he became a key figure in the German's backroom team.

Lijnders, a thoughtful student of the game, had previously worked at PSV Eindhoven in his homeland for five seasons before a seven-year stint at FC Porto in Portugal.

Having helped oversee t...