Jurgen Klopp has been tipped for a surprise move to Real Madrid nearly a year after his emotional Liverpool exit.
Klopp stunned the footballing world when he departed Liverpool in May 2024 after nine successful years at the helm.
Citing a lack of “energy”, the 57-year-old initially said he would not return to management, but was unsure how he would feel about getting back in the dugout once retirement kicked in.
Klopp linked with Real Madrid
According to TEAMTALK, the German has been lined up as a potential replacement for Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid.
Further reports from The Athletic suggest the current Real Madrid boss is a prime candidate to become Brazil manager this summer.
Despite having a contract until 2026, the Italian could be persuaded by the prospect of international management, and Madrid may be keen on a switch regardless.
This leaves the charismatic German as an ideal successor in the Madrid, should Ancelotti depart.
Klopp content at Red Bull
Klopp did return to football in an advisory role with Red Bull’s sporting network in January 2025.
The job at Red Bull is more strategic than the hands-on approach of coaching and is something Klopp has expressed he was content with.
When he began the role, the German said:
“It’s pretty much what I wanted to do. I finished seven months ago at Liverpool. I did that consciously.”
Real Madrid a mismatch
Besides seeming content at Red Bull, a move to Real Madrid would be surprising as the two parties seem like a mismatch.
The Spanish giants, notorious for their ‘Galactico policy’, seems ideologically opposed to Klopp.
Throughout his managerial career, Klopp has been famed for his ability to turn players into superstars, rather than buying the finished package.
The German transformed the Reds fortunes from mid-table strugglers to win eight trophies during his time on Merseyside, including the Premier League in 2019/20.
This was achieved despite having the lowest net spend of the ‘big six’ clubs in England.
Major trophies vs money spent since Jurgen Klopp's appointment at Liverpool 🏆💰 pic.twitter.com/PDWCGgFJxJ
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) May 5, 2024
This approach is something the German boasted about during his emotional farewell event at the M&S arena last summer, where he even took a swipe at Real Madrid.
Klopp said: “Can you imagine LFC as the club with unlimited money?
“Imagine Kylian Mbappé came here. Imagine [Jude] Bellingham came here, [or] Haaland.
“It is not us, it just does not fit.
“We won what we won and we did it the Liverpool way.”
With this in mind, it seems like the Spanish giants would not be a good fit for Klopp.
Moreover, given Liverpool’s recent rivalry with Real Madrid – defeated by Los Blancos in Europe four times during Klopp’s reign, including two Champions League final defeats – many would doubt his capacity for betraying his adoring Liverpool fans.
Door remains open for management return
Initially, his move to Red Bull was something many fans in Germany did not see coming and sparked a sense of outrage at his old club Mainz.
After announcing the career move, Mainz mocked their former manager’s move to Red Bull with various banners, including a previous quote from Klopp which read, “I like people until they disappoint me.”
Therefore, a return to the dugout at Real Madrid may not be as impossible as it seems.
However, like Ancelotti, an international job could be the most likely to tempt Klopp away from Red Bull.
Managing his home nation could be an attractive proposition for Klopp, with less demands on a daily basis, and potential glory could help sway Die Mannschaft supporters, disappointed in his Red Bull switch, back in Klopp’s favour.
Whether Klopp returns to management or not, it seems Liverpool’s legendary manager will never be returning to a club in England.
After announcing his bombshell back in January 2024, Klopp said:
“If you ask me, ‘Will you ever work as a manager again?’, I would say now no.
“But I don’t know obviously how that will feel because I never had the situation.
“What I know definitely – I will never, ever manage a different club in England than Liverpool, 100 per cent.”
(Featured image courtesy of Alamy Images under agreed licence)
