"They haven't called him either" — that's Jurgen Klopp dismissing Real Madrid links last week. Which means the most sought-after out-of-work manager in football is still very much available, and Al-Ittihad have taken notice.
According to talkSPORT, the Saudi Pro League club regard Klopp as their dream appointment as they search for a replacement following Francisco Conceicao's departure. Club officials are said to genuinely admire him. The problem is almost everything else.
Why this is complicated from the start
Klopp isn't sitting idle waiting for a call. Since leaving Liverpool in May 2024, he's taken on the role of Global Head of Soccer at Red Bull — a corporate position that keeps him connected to the game without the grind of weekly management. Unpicking that arrangement to take a club job in Saudi Arabia is not a simple conversation.
Then there's the money. Sources indicate that additional backing from the Saudi Ministry of Finance may be required just to make an approach viable. When a club needs government support to afford a manager, the gap between ambition and reality is already wide. Al-Ittihad's next-manager odds, if you're tracking them, should reflect that this remains very much a wishlist item rather than a done deal.
That said, the appeal from Al-Ittihad's perspective isn't hard to understand. Klopp's Liverpool sides — built on relentless pressing, smart recruitment, and a near-religious bond with supporters — produced a Premier League title, a Champions League, the UEFA Super Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup. That kind of profile carries weight in a league still working to establish credibility alongside its high-profile player signings.
Where this actually stands
Sources close to the situation have played down the prospect of advanced talks. Klopp himself has been clear that nothing is on the table right now — "for my age I'm quite advanced in life, but as a coach I'm not completely finished" is hardly the language of someone about to sign a contract.
At 58, with his reputation intact and no pressure to return quickly, Klopp holds all the leverage. Al-Ittihad want him. Whether they can get anywhere near him is a different question entirely.
