Six potential jobs Jurgen Klopp could take after 12-month sabbatical | OneFootball

Jurgen Klopp has announced he will leave Liverpool Football Club at the end of the current season.

The Anfield gaffer's contract was due to expire in 2026, but has confirmed via the club's official channels that he will be stepping down two years early - explaining that he's "running out of energy" and "cannot do the job again and again and again".

The German went on to state that he cannot envisage himself taking another job in football management for at least a year, and insisted that he'll never take another post in the Premier League.

So while Klopp did also hint at retirement from management - albeit somewhat early considering he is just 56 - where could he end up once his self-imposed sabbatical comes to an end? GIVEMESPORT takes a look at where Klopp could end up.

Germany National Team

Probability rating - 8/10

The standout suggestion and a number of journalists including Martyn Ziegler and Christian Falk have already teased the idea on social media. Julian Nagelsmann's contract as Germany National Team manager is due to expire after Euro 2024 on home soil. Die Mannschaft are not in a good place right now - they've lost more games than they've won (eight defeats, seven victories) since the start of 2022 and crashed out of the Group Stages of the Qatar World Cup. There isn't a huge appetite to keep Nagelsmann on and it feels as though German football is in need of a major refresh.

If Klopp were to stick to his sabbatical, the only issue would be timing. Germany will have to appoint a new manager after this summer's tournament, but finding a nightwatchman prepared to step down for Klopp in a year's time might prove difficult. The fact World Cup qualification doesn't actually begin until March 2025 does help them in that respect, meaning Klopp's hypothetical stand-in would only be in charge for the preceding Nations League campaign.

Barcelona

Probability rating - 6/10

Barcelona have been linked with Klopp recently and Spanish publication Sport have been very quick to remind everybody of club president Joan Laporta's admiration for the outgoing Liverpool boss following news of his impending Anfield departure. Barcelona do seem like a good fit for Klopp; a club that appreciate playing to a specific philosophy and are in need of a rebuild, having struggled to make any imprint on European football over the last few years. While Barcelona won La Liga last season, there's still a feeling that the club has slumped into something of a malaise and lost its status as a cutting edge side, not too dissimilar to Liverpool when Klopp first took over.

This season, Barcelona are miles off the pace in the title race - and manager Xavi confirmed shortly after Klopp that he too will be leaving his club at the end of the campaign. Naturally, the outgoing Reds boss is among the leading contenders, but that would likely require him foregoing his planned sabbatical.

Probability rating - 4/10

Klopp is said to have turned down offers from Manchester United and Real Madrid in the past and while the former option now seems completely off the table after insisting he won't manage an English club again, the latter remains a possibility if he has a change of heart. Real Madrid's Galacticos philosophy is the exact opposite of Klopp's management style so there would likely have to be some compromise on both sides if the move were to pay off.

But that in itself would represent a different type of challenge for the German who is far more used to creating superstars than working with already-established names. There's plenty of players that Klopp will be excited to work with, too: Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior, Eduardo Camavinga, Rodrygo and Federico Valverde are among the most exciting young players in world football. Carlo Ancelotti's contract isn't due to expire until 2026 but perhaps Klopp would be prepared to wait that long considering his desire to recharge.

Dortmund

Probability rating - 3/10

Klopp has refused to rule out a return to his former club in the past, but also admitted that he would only do so under dire circumstances for the Black-Yellows - insisting that there are always new challenges to embrace rather than going over old ground. Nonetheless, Klopp has a special connection with Dortmund having taken them to back-to-back Bundesliga titles and the 2013 Champions League final with an incredibly young and exciting side.

The Dortmund challenge is pretty simple: find a way to outperform Bayern Munich and their vastly superior resources to win the Bundesliga title. Dortmund have come close plenty of times in recent years and perhaps Klopp's nous is the missing ingredient needed to get them over the line. Whether that challenge appeals to Klopp in a year's time remains to be seen, but it shouldn't be ruled out either.

PSG

Probability rating - 2/10

It just doesn't seem very Klopp-ish to manage a club that has been financially-doped to the top of European football and tends to be more preoccupied with attracting big names than creating an organic philosophy and playing style. That being said, PSG do appear to be changing their ways after parting with Lionel Messi and Neymar, and the role does still offer the opportunity to achieve something no other manager has done before - bringing the Champions League title to Parc de Princes.

PSG only hired Luis Enrique during the summer and he's made light work of Ligue 1 so far, sitting well clear at the top of the table. But PSG are said to have reached out to Klopp in the past and if the hooneymoon period for Enrique comes to a crashing halt by 2025, it would be almost negligent for the French giants to not turn their attentions to the Liverpool manager.

England National Team

Probability rating - 1/10

A German managing the England national team?! That would be a bitter pill for some to swallow but if any exception could be made, it's surely for a German who has endeared himself so well to the public already. Whether Klopp would hold the same positive view of this potential scenario remains open to debate, although it would allow him to stay in Formby where he has lived ever since taking the Anfield job in 2015.

The Germany job seems far, far more likely if Klopp is to go into international management, but that hasn't stopped the bookies from making Klopp a rank outsider for the position with some positioning him as low as 8/1. Combining the quality of this current England generation with the tournament-winning nous that has made Germany one of the most successful countries in World Cup history could prove to be a masterstroke.