Peter Crouch believes that Liverpool have set the 'blueprint' on how to be successful. The former England international also thinks that the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United can model their respective rebuilds on the Reds' triumphs.
Jurgen Klopp's team have become a European powerhouse in recent years. That much was proven yet again on Wednesday night as they eased past Villarreal in their Champions League semi-final, first leg tie at Anfield, winning 2-0.
Now, Crouch believes that their recruitment of both players and of course the manager has been unrivalled and an example to all trying to follow suit: "There are so many factors in that [being successful]," he said live on BT Sport following Liverpool's win over Villarreal.
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"Hiring Jurgen Klopp is number one, recruitment of the players, but the players have to have the right attitude, the right age, the hunger to succeed at such a great football club. To see where they were when he (Klopp) took over, lots of people deserve credit behind the scenes, but from where they were to where they are now, it is absolutely chalk and cheese.
"I think it should be a blueprint for other clubs that are behind [them], like Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham, they are in a similar situation as to what Liverpool were a few years ago."
Crouch isn't alone in this opinion as others, like Graeme Souness, also believe that clubs can learn from the Merseyside outfit's 'sensational' recruitment in recent years. "Liverpool are in such a healthy position right now, they have a really strong squad, and they’re adding to it," he said on Sky Sports earlier this month.
"(Diogo) Jota last year, (Luis) Diaz this year, and the whole squad gets a lift. Liverpool’s recruitment this time round, well I say this time round, in the last seven or eight years, has been off the charts. They have had an incredible amount of luck with their signings because not everybody gets them all right, but their recruitment has been sensational."
Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester United are all a long way behind Liverpool, but if they can get it right in the transfer market in the windows to come, they may well catch-up in the future.
