Jurgen Klopp’s colleagues fear he’s ‘very likely’ to go away for Red Bull for huge job | Football

There are growing fears at Red Bull GmbH that Jurgen Klopp could leave his post as Head of Global Soccer to take over as manager of the German national team this summer.

Klopp sent shockwaves across the footballing world back in early 2024 as he announced that his ninth 12 months in command of Liverpool could be his last on Merseyside.

After what had been a difficult period for the club, Klopp led the Reds to a complete of eight pieces of silverware, including the Champions League trophy in 2019 and the Premier League title the next season.

The extraordinary era of success cemented Klopp’s place amongst essentially the most revered managers in Liverpool’s history alongside the likes of Bill Shankly and Bob Paisley.

Just five months after his final match within the Premier League, Klopp ended his sabbatical to tackle a job because the Head of Global Soccer for Red Bull group, overseeing their international network of clubs, including RB Leipzig and Red Bull Salzburg, as an advisor.

Klopp has kept his cards relatively near his chest regarding potential plans within the more distant future and has repeatedly gone on record saying he would never betray Liverpool by managing one other team in England.

The 58-year-old found himself heavily linked to the Real Madrid job when Xabi Alonso was relieved of his duties within the wake of the side’s defeat to Barcelona within the Spanish Super Cup final.

But Alvaro Arbeloa took over the reins from Alonso and talk of Klopp being installed on the Bernabeu has ‘faded into the background’, in response to German publication Bild.

It’s claimed an early termination of Klopp’s take care of Red Bull ‘has not yet been discussed’. In truth, there have been informal discussions regarding a possible contract extension.

Nevertheless, the report suggests it’s an ‘open secret’ that Red Bull are usually not overly pleased by Klopp’s increasingly low profile, with the German said to be attending matches and visiting training centres less and fewer continuously.

Klopp has, though, been seen at quite a few PR events, including the recent Winter Olympics in Italy, which has led others inside the Red Bull hierarchy organisation to ‘wonder’ about his future.

A fast return to club management is taken into account ‘out of the query’ given the rigorous day-to-day work required for such a job, which Klopp admitted played a big part in his decision to quit Liverpool two years ago.

However the prospect of Klopp succeeding Julian Nagelsmann as head coach of the German national team is deemed ‘very conceivable’ after this summer’s World Cup.

Klopp’s advisor Marc Kosicke has made no secret of the very fact the DFB (the German FA) have made several enquiries, even talking up the likelihood should the chance present itself at some stage.

‘I don’t think he feels he has to do it no less than once,’ Kosicke told Transfermarkt last month.

‘Slightly, he feels a way of obligation, that he couldn’t all the time say no to the job.’

The report adds that despite the fact that Nagelsmann’s take care of Germany shouldn’t be attributable to expire until 2028, the thought of Klopp taking over the role before that date is ‘considered very likely’ by a growing number at Red Bull.

Elsewhere in his interview with Transfermarkt, Kosicke sensationally claimed that each Chelsea and Manchester United made unsuccessful approaches for Klopp after his client and shut friend had departed Anfield.

‘Even Chelsea and Manchester United inquired, although Jurgen had clearly stated that he wouldn’t coach another club in England. These inquiries keep coming,’ Kosicke said.

‘He’s extremely glad with what he’s achieved.

‘It’s still wonderful to go down in history as certainly one of the few coaches who only managed three clubs and were never fired.’

In accordance with Sky Sports, Chelsea and Manchester United were each quick to disclaim these claims.

In October, Klopp suggested it was ‘theoretically possible’ that he could sooner or later return for a second stint with Liverpool while appearing as a guest on The Diary of a CEO podcast.

‘I said I won’t ever coach one other team, a special team, in England,’ he told podcast host Steven Bartlett.

‘So meaning if then it’s Liverpool … yeah. Theoretically it’s possible

‘I’m 58, meaning I could make the choice in a number of years, I don’t know.

‘Do I even have to make the choice today? Then I won’t coach again.

‘But thank God, I don’t have to try this. I can just see what the long run brings.’

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