Empire of the Kop
·9 October 2024
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Yahoo sportsEmpire of the Kop
·9 October 2024
It’s been confirmed this morning that Jurgen Klopp will begin a new job from the start of January.
Five months on from ending his glorious reign as Liverpool manager, the 57-year-old will resume an active involvement in football from the beginning of 2025, albeit in a role which tallies with his assertion over the summer that he won’t go back into coaching.
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On Wednesday morning, Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg confirmed via X that Klopp will become the new Global Head of Soccer at Red Bull from 1 January, having ‘already signed a long-term contract’ with the energy drinks firm.
His remit will be to advise every football club in the Red Bull network (including those based in Leipzig, Salzburg and New York) on ‘coaching matters, playing philosophy, development and transfers of talents/head coaches and more’, with the company’s managing director Oliver Mintzlaff having been ‘determined’ to get the former Liverpool manager on board.
The agreement also includes an ‘exit option’ which could pave the way for him to become head coach of the Germany men’s national team after Julian Nagelsmann leaves, should the 57-year-old wish to do so.
(Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
Klopp’s new job could see him renew professional acquaintances with his ex-Liverpool assistant Pep Lijnders, who’s now the main man in the dugout at Red Bull Salzburg.
However, with our former manager not starting in his role until January, there’s a possibility that the Dutchman mightn’t get that long in his current gig, with the Austrian giants enduring a tough start to the season domestically and in the Champions League.
Getting the German on board comes as a massive coup for Red Bull, whose two flagship clubs in central Europe already have a strong working relationship with LFC.
Ibrahima Konate, Dominik Szoboszlai and Naby Keita were all signed from Leipzig, while Takumi Minamino arrived from Salzburg, who Sadio Mane also represented before he joined Liverpool from Southampton in 2016.
The two clubs have had contrasting fortunes so far this term, but for fans of Lijnders’ current side, it must be incredibly exciting to have Klopp’s input from January onwards.
Based on his exceptional work at Liverpool, we’re sure that the 57-year-old will be a resounding success in his new role with Red Bull.