Jurgen Klopp hasn’t ruled out a return to coaching in the future, amid growing pressure on his Liverpool successor Arne Slot.
The German stepped aside as Reds manager two years ago as he felt he needed a break from the dugout after more than 20 years in the profession, with the Dutchman taking over the reins and delivering a Premier League title in his first season in charge.
However, with LFC now facing an uphill battle just to get into the Champions League, there’s an increasing sense that the 47-year-old will lose his job if he falls short in that mission.
Speaking at the Magenta TV World Cup team presentation in Munich, Klopp dismissed speculation linking him with the Real Madrid job but has lef the door open for a return to coaching further down the line.
He told reporters (via BBC Sport): “If Real Madrid had phoned, we would have heard about it by now, but that’s all nonsense. They haven’t called even once, not once. My agent is there; you can ask him. They haven’t called him either. Right now I’m not thinking about that. Luckily there’s no reason to.
“For my age I’m quite advanced in life, but as a coach I’m not completely finished. I haven’t reached retirement age. Who knows what will happen in the coming years? But there’s nothing planned.”
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Amid the increasing scrutiny on Slot at Liverpool, many Reds fans might wonder if the club will go back to the future and hire Klopp for a second time, should a managerial vacancy arise.
The German’s desire for a manager rather than head coach remit may prevent that scenario while Michael Edwards is involved at Anfield, but with FSG abandoning plans for a multi-club model, the latter’s frustration over that development could raise question marks over his willingness to remain on board (The Athletic).
The former LFC boss is in the privileged position of being able to hold out for the managerial opening which feels right for him, rather than being desperate to get back on the carousel, whilst also knowing that virtually any club or national team would gladly take him if he professed an interest in taking charge of them.
The timing of Klopp’s comments isn’t ideal for Slot at a time when his coaching stock has plummeted drastically. The Dutchman will be aware of the noise surrounding his future and the hero-worship in which his predecessor is held among Liverpool fans.
The 47-year-old needs to finish the season with a rousing run-in similar to what the German oversaw in 2020/21, when a post-March surge from the Reds saw them salvage third place and Champions League qualification.
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