Jurgen Klopp has claimed that Liverpool’s decision to leave Melwood in a bid to ‘set standards’.
A £50 million redevelopment of the Reds’ youth academy will see the first-team move its training ground to the Kirkby facility in time for the 2019/20 season.
The plans, announced this week by Anfield officials, are set to bring down the curtain on over half a century of history at their current base in West Derby.
But Klopp insists that leaving Melwood behind is necessary for Liverpool to move forward.
He said: “I love Melwood, but football changes and everything will be bigger.
“We cannot avoid this. We can’t stay like we always were and hope you can cope with the other teams. Sometimes you have to set standards.
“It’s really good our owners give us the opportunity to make this big step into the future.
“Twenty five years ago Melwood set the level, but in these 25 years some things happened.”
Expanding on the impending move, the Liverpool manager highlighted some of the current challenges that the club faces by being primarily based at Melwood.
“If we [want] one more office, we don’t know where to go, that’s the situation,” added Klopp.
“One point is bringing the academy and first team together, and to improve a lot of things we can’t improve here, that’s another point.
“It’s only good for the future of the club. I really believe infrastructure keeps responsibility up and helps.
“If we stayed here another 25 years, it would not be good for the club.”