Klopp exit? Liverpool manager’s next job unclear as national team rule out ‘impossible’ €50m raid
In a boost to Liverpool, the Vice President for the German FA has admitted that they “can’t pay” what would be required to appoint Jurgen Klopp.
The 56-year-old has done a remarkable job since joining Liverpool in 2015. He has helped them win the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup and Carabao Cup.
After a disappointing season in 2022/23, Liverpool are joint-top of the Premier League after 19 games and they will move clear of Aston Villa at the summit if they pick up points against Newcastle United on New Year’s Day.
Klopp is under contract until 2026 but he has recently been linked with a surprise move to European giants FC Barcelona.
The respected coach was also linked with the vacant Germany manager’s job following Hansi Flick’s sacking last September. Speaking last year, Klopp admitted it would be a “great honour” to manage his country but he is “loyal” to Liverpool.
“The job of national coach is and would be a great honour – there’s no question about that,” Klopp said last summer.
“The problem that stands in the way of the whole thing is my loyalty. I can’t just leave Liverpool now and say I’ll take over Germany for a short time. That doesn’t work and the request isn’t even there.
“If I’m supposed to do that at some point, then I have to be available and I’m not currently. I have a responsibility towards the club.
“Basically, it’s an interesting job. But I don’t know yet whether I’ll do something completely different after I leave Liverpool. I want to keep my options open.”
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With Klopp unavailable, Germany appointed Julian Nagelsmann as Flick’s successor after the 36-year-old left Bayern Munich towards the end of the 2022/23 campaign.
Nagelsmann was linked with Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur before he took the Germany job and he’s now set to lead them into this summer’s home European Championships.
As for Klopp, Germany Vice President Ralph-Uwe Schaffert has admitted that the Liverpool manager’s huge salary makes it difficult for them to prize him away from the Premier League giants.
“The DFB (German FA) can’t pay Jurgen Klopp at all, he earns a fixed €24m a year plus €26m guaranteed advertising income – so €50m,” Schaffert said in an interview with Hannoversche Allgemeine Zeitung.
He added: “[Manager wages have] all gone through the roof so much that it’s almost impossible to reduce it. It has to be less. With Nagelsmann it has already become less.”
