Legendary former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp could be part of the managerial merry-go-round set to take place in Europe this summer.
The German has taken a step back from taking hands-on control of a team since leaving the Reds in 2024, but would have plenty of suitors should he reverse his decision.
There have been strong suggestions that Real Madrid could come in for Klopp if he signals a desire to return to the touchline, and after Austrian outlet Salzburger Nachrichten suggested that the 58-year-old could soon leave Red Bull, the rumour mill has gone into overdrive.
CHANGE MY MIND: Liverpool will drop points vs West Ham if Wirtz doesn’t play 👀
He's our most important player right now, not Szoboszlai
Florian Wirtz form for Liverpool
Photo by Christian Kaspar-Bartke/Getty Images
They claimed that outgoing Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner is being lined up to replace Klopp, who has reportedly been viewed as having a little too much focus on extra-curricular activities such as a recent appearance at the Winter Olympics.
However, Red Bull CEO Oliver Mintzlaff has now come out to strongly deny any suggestion that the former Liverpool manager could leave.
Jurgen Klopp is not leaving Red Bull
As he is no longer taking day-to-day charge of a team, it can be hard to quantify exactly how well Klopp is doing in his role as Head of Global Soccer at Red Bull.
But according to Mintzlaff, the company are very happy with the work he is doing, with German journalist Florian Plettenberg relaying new quotes from the CEO on Thursday morning.
Presentation of Jürgen Klopp As Head Of Global Soccer Red Bull
Photo by Marcel Engelbrecht – firo sportphoto/Getty Images
MORE LIVERPOOL STORIES
READ MORE: Liverpool transfers: Micky van de Ven and Alessandro Bastoni may both be available – Fabrizio Romano
“That is complete nonsense and entirely made up,” Mintzlaff said on rumours Red Bull are not happy with Klopp.
“On the contrary, we are extremely satisfied with the work Jurgen Klopp is doing. He invests a great deal of time and effort, is in constant communication with our coaches and sporting directors, and continues to develop our Red Bull football philosophy in a sustainable way.
“We are convinced that he is the right man for this job. That is where we are putting all our focus and energy.”
How would you react if Jurgen Klopp joins Real Madrid as manager?
Jurgen Klopp addresses fans at Anfield after his final game as Liverpool manager in May 2024 (Credit: Getty Images/Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC).
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Andrew Powell/Liverpool FC
Klopp most likely to take over Germany
Although it is understandable that clubs such as Real Madrid would be keen to persuade Klopp to come back to management, there is nothing to suggest that any attempts would be successful at this stage.
Instead, the former Liverpool boss appears to be loving his time away from the daily grind of the game.
If the management bug does come back to bite him, it seems much more likely that Klopp will choose to take over the German national team if and when Julian Nagelsmann returns to club football.
Nagelsmann currently has a contract which runs until after Euro 2028, but if Germany have an underwhelming World Cup, for example, maybe they will choose to make a change earlier.
In that scenario, you could see Klopp stepping away from his role at Red Bull, or at least putting it on pause. But, for now, any rumours of a return to the club game should be taken with a big dollop of salt.
Join Our Newsletter
Receive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox