Jurgen Klopp has emerged as a dream target for Al-Ittihad, but his agent is ruling out a move to Saudi Arabia.
He is the preferred candidate to become the club’s next manager following the departure of Sergio Conceicao. Although there is genuine interest in bringing the former Liverpool boss to Saudi Arabia, nothing has advanced at this stage.
The Saudi Pro League side are keen to persuade the German to return to the dugout after he stepped away from coaching in 2024 after his almost nine-year tenure on Merseyside.
Klopp guided Liverpool to their first Premier League title, ending their 30-year wait to become top-flight champions again. He also lifted the UEFA Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, FA Cup, and League Cup.
Al-Ittihad recognise it will be extremely difficult to convince Klopp, who has made clear that he remains firmly focused on his role as Head of Global Soccer at Red Bull.
While viewing him as their ideal appointment, the club recognise the challenges involved in trying to secure a deal. Any move would likely require a substantial financial package due to Klopp’s status.
Klopp’s representative Marc Kosicke stated: “There is no possibility for Klopp to manage Al-Ittihad this year.”
But the 2024/25 Saudi Pro League winners are confident they can prise him away from Red Bull and help lead them back to the top of the league.
There had also been rumours linking Klopp with Real Madrid, although reports around Jose Mourinho’s return have cooled that speculation.
Klopp has repeatedly dismissed rumours linking him to high-profile positions. Addressing previous reports linking him to Real Madrid, he said: “If Real Madrid had phoned, we would have heard about it by now. But that's all nonsense. They haven't called even once, not once. My agent is there, you can ask him. They haven't called him either.”
The Saudi side will continue monitoring Klopp’s situation, but for now, he is settled in his Red Bull role and has no urgency to return to the touchline. A move appears to be very unlikely.
