Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has stirred the emotions of the Anfield faithful this week by declaring that a return to the club he once revolutionised is “theoretically possible.”
The 58-year-old German spoke candidly on the Diary of a CEO podcast, revealing that though he has no immediate plans to resume the day-to-day grind of management, the idea of another stint at Liverpool remains on the table.
“I said I will never coach a different team in England. So that means if I do go back, then it’s Liverpool,” Klopp told host Steven Bartlett. “So, yeah, theoretically it’s possible.”
In the same breath, he underlined his current satisfaction with his role as Global Head of Soccer at Red Bull GmbH and admitted he does not miss many of the trappings that come with being a Premier League manager. “I love what I do right now. I don’t miss coaching. I do coach but it’s just different, it’s not players,” he added.
“I don’t miss standing in the rain for two-and-a-half or three hours. I also don’t miss going to press conferences three times a week … I don’t miss being in the dressing room.”
Klopp’s nine-year tenure at Liverpool, from October 2015 until his departure at the end of the 2023-24 season, was nothing short of transformative. Under his leadership the Reds ended a 30-year wait for a league title with the Premier League triumph in 2020, followed by the Champions League success in 2019 and other major honours.
His departure was framed as a decision driven by energy levels rather than results, as he admitted at the time he felt he was “running out of energy.”
In his podcast appearance this week, Klopp also acknowledged how life has changed. “I’m 58. From your perspective that might be old, but from other perspectives, it’s not that old. That means I could make a decision in a few years. I don’t know.”
He emphasised there is no urgency on his part to return to the dugout: “If I had to make the decision today, I won’t coach again but thank God I don’t have to do that. I can just see what the future brings.”
Klopp’s comments also came with supportive remarks concerning the club’s current trajectory. He was effusive in praise of his successor, Arne Slot, and confident Liverpool’s squad remains in very capable hands. “We had a lot of contact after that; he’s a super good guy. He got the best out of this team, and they became champions in an incredible manner,” Klopp said. He added: “Wirtz … he’s an incredible talent. Ekitike, incredible player. … You don’t have to worry about Liverpool, they will be fine.”
In doing so, Klopp reinforced his belief that the club is stable and beyond any immediate romanticised notion of his own return being required to rescue it.
As he continues his work at Red Bull, focusing on global football development rather than the weekly pressures of the Premier League, Klopp appears to view his next chapter as one of influence rather than frontline management.