Jurgen Klopp is said to be “tempted” by the offer of a quick return to control after being offered what has been described as his ideal next job just weeks after stepping down as Liverpool manager.
The German left a rich legacy at Anfield after almost nine excellent years in the dugout, with Liverpool FC winning seven major titles and reaching four European finals, a hugely memorable tenure. That number of trophies would undoubtedly have been higher if his tenure had not coincided. with the Pep Guardiola era at Manchester City, who beat the Reds in more than one instance that time.
In their farewell season, Liverpool won the Carabao Cup before running out of steam in the Premier League title race, while in Europe it was a similar story when Atalanta eliminated them in the quarter-finals en route to victory in the Europa League.
Rightly so, Klopp also used “tired” logic when resigning at Anfield: his resolution was made public at the end of January, although it had been well known to the club’s officials since the end of November.
This gave the Merseysiders enough time to choose his replacement, and the role was eventually given to Arne Slot after his first choice, Xabi Alonso, decided to stay at Bayer Leverkusen for at least one more season.
At the time of his departure, an exhausted Klopp indicated that he expected to spend a year without playing, and insisted it was to recommend that he never work in football again.
Speaking about his future in January, Klopp said: “If you ask me: ‘Will you work as a coach again?'”Now I would say no.
“But I clearly don’t know what it will be like because I’ve never had this situation. What I know for sure is that I will never, ever manage any other club in England other than Liverpool, one hundred percent. That is not possible.
My love for this club, my respect for others is too great. I couldn’t. I couldn’t think about it for a second. There is no possibility. It’s part of my life, we’re part of the family, we feel at home here. There is no possibility of doing that.
“But everything else, will I ever paint again? Of course, I know myself, I can’t sit idly by. Maybe I’ll find something else to do. But I probably wouldn’t manage a club or a country for at least a year, it’s not possible, I can’t do it and I don’t need it. That’s all.
Since fleeing to his luxury villa in Santa Ponsa, Mallorca, Klopp has had fun sunbathing, swimming and enjoying a relaxed lifestyle at the local luxury spa and golf club.
However, he has also been noticed in public, at the Champions League final at Wembley between his former club, Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid, at a Taylor Swiuft concert at Anfield and at the tennis final of the ATP Mallorca in June.
As a result, it’s no surprise to see his call-up connected to a number of high-profile positions, with Klopp touted as Barcelona manager ahead of Hansi Flick’s appointment, a position within the Red Bull football family as general manager, as well as a return to former club Dortmund in some technical director positions.
He has also been touted for the long-term England manager role as Gareth Southgate steps down after the European Championship.
However, according to reports in Spain, the domestic position is expected to tempt Klopp back into the game much quicker than expected, with the 57-year-old touted as a strong candidate to succeed Julian Nagelsmann as Germany coach.
It comes as hosts Germany are set to share tactics with Nagelsmann after their disappointing defeat to runners-up Spain in the quarter-finals.
Described in the report as a “complete failure”, Nagelsmann is in serious danger of being “fired”, as the DFB leaders are frustrated at not having been able to triumph in at least the last 4 games of their home festival.
Klopp is said to be “tempted to be at the 2026 World Cup” as Germany coach, while Nagelsmann is facing “dismissal” after this summer’s “resounding failure”.
The report concludes that Klopp is a “favorite” for Germany’s next coach and that “if he accepts the offer, he can leave them at the next World Cup. “
Klopp has already made it clear that he would love the chance to be Germany manager and it has been claimed that near developments around Nagelsmann, who signed a contract extension before the start of the Euros, could push the former Liverpool boss to come out of the closet of his gap year earlier than expected.