Jurgen Klopp now in serious talks, compensation fee negotiations held for new hire
Jurgen Klopp has been heavily linked with a return to the Premier League in recent weeks.
The German has been away from management since he left Liverpool at the end of the 2023-24 campaign, but plenty of people have suggested that could be about to change of late.
Klopp has been linked with a Liverpool return, but Football Insider recently revealed that Arne Slot’s position at Anfield remains secure.
The 58-year-old won both the Premier League and the Champions League during his time on Merseyside and became one of the world’s most well-respected managers.
Jurgen Klopp in talks over Red Bull Salzburg appointment
Klopp has also been linked with Real Madrid in recent days as their boss Xabi Alonso continues to come under pressure.
The possibility of a return to management has dominated discussions surrounding the ex-Borussia Dortmund chief in recent weeks, but he still appears to be totally committed to his current role.
Klopp is currently working as the Head of Global Soccer for the Red Bull group, a job that he took on back in January.
He and Oliver Mintzlaff, the company’s CEO of Corporate Projects and New Investments, are now in talks over the possibility of bringing a new Sporting CEO to Red Bull Salzburg.
The duo are “serious” about signing Hannover Sporting Director Marcus Mann, and want him to take over at the Austrian club “immediately,” according to journalist Florian Plettenberg via his X account.
Meetings and talks have already taken place between the two parties, with a compensation package with Hannover that only that is yet to be agreed.
What has Jurgen Klopp said about a Liverpool return?
The links between Klopp and Liverpool have come as a major surprise, given the comments that he has previously made regarding the possibility of a return to management.
He stepped away after nine years in the Anfield dugout, and he has remained fairly tight lipped as to whether he will ever return to management since then.
However, Klopp did at least leave the door ajar to some extent on The Diary of a CEO podcast back in October, when he stated that a Liverpool reunion would “theoretically” be possible one day.
He noted that he “will never” coach another English club, barring Liverpool, but added that he “loves” his current role at Red Bull.
While Klopp avoided a complete dismissal of a return, it is clear to see that, for now at least, it simply isn’t something that is on his radar.