26 January 2024 , 12:22
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Jurgen Klopp is leaving Liverpool.
There it is. In black and white.
We all knew it was coming at some point, but even the most sceptical of Liverpool fans probably didn't expect it to come so soon. Klopp only renewed his Liverpool contract in 2022 until 2026 and said, "I had to ask myself the question: Is it right for Liverpool that I stay longer?... We came to the conclusion it was a ‘Yes!’"
Just two years on, Klopp is bowing out when his previous contract was due to end, admitting he is "running out of energy" for the high-pressure role. No doubt he will depart to a hero's farewell - particularly if Liverpool end the campaign with more silverware. But where could Klopp go next?
Retirement?
Well, first and foremost, Klopp has already given us the biggest clue - and it's a pretty definitive one - that this could be his final gig in the game - in club football at least.
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"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."
Klopp's status as a legend of the game is already secure if he decided to call time on his career. At 56-years-old, he has been involved in management almost non-stop since taking the reins at Mainz in 2001.
His comments in his Liverpool exit statement also allude to him leaving the intensity of management for good. "It is that I am, how can I say it, running out of energy. I have no problem now, obviously, I knew it already for longer that I will have to announce it at one point, but I am absolutely fine now. I know that I cannot do the job again and again and again and again."
However, a break away from the game might give him different ideas...
(Liverpool FC via Getty Images)Germany
It's the obvious one, and surely the only job which might actually tempt Klopp back to the touchline.
Having won everything there is to win in club football - from domestic titles to the Champions League - Klopp may feel there is only one task left to crack on the international stage.
Germany have been struggling since the departure of Joachim Low in 2021 and would love to have Klopp in the hot-seat at some stage. But his national team have not long appointed a new manager in Julian Nagelsmann, who took up the post in 2023 and will lead the team into this summer's Euro 2024 on home soil and likely beyond.
There is also the question of whether Klopp would enjoy the stop-start nature of being an international manager, rather than being with his players day-in, day-out. It would certainly be less intense than managing at a top club, though the pressure during major tournaments would arguably be as high than in any of his previous roles.
Still, the prospect of lifting the game's biggest prize may well be enough if the opportunity falls at his door.
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Real Madrid
Klopp would no doubt be on Real Madrid's radar to replace Carlo Ancelotti - but it's unlikely (UEFA via Getty Images)Klopp made it clear he doesn't expect to manage in club football again - and as a man of his word, you can likely take that as gospel.
Then again, managing the world's biggest club always holds appeal, particularly after some time to recharge his batteries. Real Madrid will have to replace Carlo Ancelotti at some stage - and Klopp would almost certainly be on their radar if they think he's available.
Having already triumphed in Germany and England, a new challenge in Spain would offer Klopp a new challenge at the top level if he can stomach getting back on the managerial hamster wheel. But there is the awkward issue of the two Champions League finals where Liverpool were beaten by Real Madrid.
There is also the prospect Klopp could face Liverpool with Madrid if he took the reins. Would he want that? Barcelona would also be in a similar position should they need a new manager anytime soon, but again there's history. And as Klopp said himself, he knows this is a job he can't keep doing again and again.
File this one under very unlikely.
MLS
Ok, it would still be club football, but there is plenty which could tempt Klopp over to the United States. Lionel Messi's recent move shows it's an attractive and lucrative option for anyone at elite level.
The MLS would love to have a coach of Klopp's standing over there too. The schedule wouldn't be as demanding, the lifestyle would be a nice culture shift and it would be a chance to stay in the game, away from the spotlight of fans furiously trying to get a photo or an autograph constantly.
Plus, depending where he ends up, a chance for a good bit of sun. Does he need the money though? And does he care?
The standard wouldn't be as good, nor the challenge, but he wouldn't have to face Liverpool. Just potentially Messi and Luis Suarez, again. How did that go last time?
Saudi Arabia
Just no.
They have the money, therefore the door will always be open to him. But a move to the Middle East is just not a Klopp move. And he'll hardly get a ringing endorsement that might change his mind - just ask Jordan Henderson...