Jurgen Klopp has been targeted by both Manchester United and Chelsea to take over as manager following his departure from Liverpool in 2024
Jurgen Klopp rejected an approach from Manchester United following his departure from Liverpool, his agent has said. Klopp stepped down as Liverpool manager in the summer of 2024, after almost nine years in charge, to take a break from management.
During his time in charge of the Anfield club, he won the Champions League in 2019 before leading Liverpool to their first league title in 30 years a year later. He has since made clear he has no plans to return to management and became global head of soccer for the Red Bull group last year.
However, that didn’t stop United from making an approach for the German. But according to Klopp’s long-time agent, Marc Kosicke, United weren’t the only club to make an approach for the 58-year-old.
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He has also claimed Chelsea failed in an approach, while if Klopp wanted to be, he could have become England manager following Gareth Southgate’s departure after Euro 2024.
Although Kosicke didn’t reveal when United made their move, it could have been after the Old Trafford club parted company with Erik ten Hag in October 2024.
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Asked about his client returning to the dugout, Kosicke said: “At the moment, I don’t see that happening, because he’s very happy with his new role and in this environment.
“Maybe at some point he’ll say he needs to smell the locker room again. But at the moment he’s very, very happy in his role. Before joining Red Bull, Jurgen could have coached the USA or England national teams. Probably also Germany, if Julian Nagelsmann hadn’t already been there.
“Even Chelsea and Manchester United inquired, although Jurgen had clearly stated that he would not coach any other club in England. These inquiries haven’t stopped.
“Jurgen has undergone a metamorphosis, moving away from being a coach with a broad perspective towards more management responsibilities.”
Kosicke also revealed that Bayern Munich made an approach for the German just months before he led Liverpool to the Premier League title.
“Bayern came very close to signing us twice,” he revealed in an interview with Transfermarkt. “Once in 2008: Uli Hoeness wanted Jurgen Klopp, but Karl-Heinz Rummenigge wanted Jurgen Klinsmann.
“And after Niko Kovac (who was sacked in November 2019), when Jurgen was at Liverpool, they approached us again. Nobody thought things would be so successful with (eventual Bayern boss) Hansi Flick. There just wasn’t the right momentum.”
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