By Callum Bishop
3 hours ago
Jurgen Klopp, the former Liverpool manager, might be on the brink of a surprising return to management with a club that hasn’t claimed a league title in almost 25 years. Currently serving as the Global Head of Football at Red Bull, Klopp had reportedly expressed dissatisfaction with his role back in April and is seeking an exit to return to coaching.
Although there were brief rumors about him replacing Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid, Xabi Alonso was eventually named as the successor. However, it seems fans won’t have to wait long to see Klopp back on the sidelines. Recent reports indicate he may have already agreed to take on a new challenge.
According to Optus Sport, multiple Italian outlets suggest Klopp is set to become the next manager of AS Roma at the end of the season. La Stampa claims that the deal is already finalized between Klopp and Roma’s owners, the Friedkin Group, who also own Everton.
Roma, a club once home to legends like Francesco Totti and Daniele De Rossi, had a rough start to the season, which led to the dismissal of manager Ivan Juric after just 12 games in November. Claudio Ranieri, who returned to the club for a third stint, took over and delivered impressive results, losing just seven of 35 games and leading Roma to just one point outside a Champions League spot. Ranieri’s success earned him a standing ovation during his final game at the Stadio Olimpico, where Roma triumphed 3-1 over AC Milan.
If Klopp takes over, reports suggest Ranieri might remain involved in an advisory role due to his iconic status at the club. La Stampa also claims that the decision to hire Klopp was made a while ago, with the coach giving his consent just recently. If Klopp accepts the role, he will follow in the footsteps of previous managers José Mourinho and Luis Enrique, both of whom failed to bring the Scudetto to Roma.
