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Jurgen Klopp will return to management by appearing at a special Borussia Dortmund event next month, while Liverpool have already announced the ‘signing of the summer’ according to one pundit.
Klopp has been linked with several jobs since ending his incredible spell as Liverpool manager at the end of the 2023-24 season. Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich are three of the main European giants who have taken a look at the German, while he has also been named as a target for national teams such as the USA, Germany and England.
England fans were particularly hopeful that Klopp would replace Gareth Southgate after all that he achieved with Liverpool.
But the 57-year-old ended such speculation on July 31. When asked if his adviser Marc Kosicke is giving him job opportunities amid his break from the game, the German said: “Nothing at all. Job-wise, nothing at all. No club, no country. Some people must not have heard that part.”
On the England job, Klopp added: “That would be the biggest loss of face in the history of football if I said, ‘I’ll make an exception for you.’”
The Premier League, Champions League and Bundesliga winner even suggested he might never manage a club again, though he will think about his future more when he is almost at the end of his year-long break.
Klopp will appear in the dugout on September 7, however. He will manage a side led by Dortmund hero Jakub Blaszczykowski, who will take on a team led by one of Klopp’s other former stars, Lukasz Piszczek, in a special testimonial game.
During a FaceTime call between Klopp, Blaszczykowski and Piszczek, the Liverpool icon was asked if he would take time out of his sabbatical to work with Blaszczykowski’s side. He replied: “I’m absolutely delighted – of course I have time!”
Liverpool latest: Jurgen Klopp return and Arne Slot verdict
Klopp added that he is ‘really looking forward to it’, as the match will likely give him the chance to reunite with several more Dortmund greats.
While Klopp is weighing up whether to even return to management, it would not be a surprise if he worked at Dortmund in a different capacity when getting back involved in the game.
Klopp could become their CEO or a special adviser, helping the club to add to their trophy cabinet using his excellent knowledge and contacts.
Meanwhile, former Liverpool striker Michael Owen thinks the Reds have made the ‘signing of the summer’, even though they have missed out on Martin Zubimendi as their first capture of the transfer window.
“Arne Slot has shown some great signs in pre-season because that game against Manchester United was a big game for him,” Owen said.
“All the eyes were on him… talk about pressure. When you talk about who’s the biggest signing in the Premier League this summer, it’s Arne Slot.
“That is the biggest role to fill in the Premier League this summer. Jurgen Klopp leaving after all that time, that is the biggest signing and he’s got more pressure on him than anybody else in the Premier League. Even though it’s pre-season friendly, because of who it was against I think straight away Liverpool fans will be quietly excited.
“It’s good early signs and enough to get the crowd really backing you, get that belief, get the players understanding that your standards are high because they need to be high to go and win the Premier League, they need to be super high. I think it was very positive and more than just a pre-season game for Liverpool.”