Jurgen Klopp will take over Red Bull's head of football in January but weeks before his arrival, his former Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders was sacked
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.
Thomas Letsch has replaced Pep Lijnders as RB Salzburg before Jurgen Klopp arrives at Red Bull.(Image: Photo by Kevin Voigt/GettyImages)
Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp will be working alongside Thomas Letsch after he was named as the new head coach of RB Salzburg. The 58-year-old German replaces Pep Lijnders after the ex-Reds assistant manager was sacked by the Austrian Bundesliga club earlier this week.
Letsch has signed a three-year deal with the Salzburg outfit and will take up his role as the new man in charge from January 3 when the club returns to training following the winter break. His arrival in Austria will coincide with Klopp's introduction to Red Bull as their head of global soccer - a role he begins at the beginning of January in his first job since leaving Anfield in the summer.
Klopp will be responsible for the strategic management level for the international network of clubs, including Salzburg, as well as RB Leipzig, New York Red Bulls, among others.
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Speaking about his new role, Klopp said back in October: "After almost 25 years on the sideline, I could not be more excited to get involved in a project like this.
"The role may have changed but my passion for football and the people who make the game what it is has not. By joining Red Bull at a global level, I want to develop, improve and support the incredible football talent that we have at our disposal.
"There are many ways that we can do this front using the elite knowledge and experience that Red Bull possesses to learning from other sports and other industries. Together we can discover what is possible.
"I see my role primarily as a mentor for the coaches and management of the Red Bull clubs but ultimately, I am one part of an organisation that is unique, innovative and forward looking. As I said, this could not excite me more."
Letsch will replace Lijnders with Salzburg sitting fifth in the table, 10 points off league leaders Sturm Graz. Despite the former Liverpool assistant leading them into the Champions League proper, their form in the League Phase has been poor - winning just one of their opening six matches, conceding 18 times and managing just three goals.