"Who doesn't dream of having Jürgen Klopp?" That's Paris FC's billionaire backer Antoine Arnault, speaking on RMC's After Foot and doing absolutely nothing to hide his ambitions. "With his sunny disposition and footballing genius — sooner or later, we all dream of getting him."
Arnault, CEO of Christian Dior SE and one of the wealthiest people on the planet, was blunt about the target: qualify for the Champions League, then make a move for Klopp. It's a long-term play dressed up as a dream out loud.
Why this isn't as far-fetched as it sounds
The Klopp connection to Paris FC isn't purely fantasy. Klopp joined Red Bull as Global Head of Soccer in early 2025, and Red Bull holds a stake in Paris FC alongside the Arnault family. So the man Arnault is openly courting already sits within the same ownership structure. That's not nothing.
Still, Klopp's contract with Red Bull runs until 2029, and he's made it plain — repeatedly — that he has no interest in returning to the touchline anytime soon. Arnault acknowledged as much: "He doesn't want to return to coaching in the near future, but maybe in three, four, or five years." Right now, Klopp is working as a TV pundit for MagentaSport at the World Cup. Not exactly a man itching to get back on the training pitch.
Real Madrid and the Germany national team have both been floated as possible destinations when he does return. Paris FC, a club that finished 11th in their debut Ligue 1 season, would need to clear some serious ground to compete with those options.
Paris FC's foundations are still being laid
And that mid-table finish last season was shakier than it sounds. Paris FC spent the spring teetering near the drop zone before sacking promotion-winning manager Stéphane Gili after five winless games. Former PSG coach Antoine Kombouaré came in, steadied the ship, and the club lost just twice in their final twelve matches to finish 11th — four places better than where they'd been sitting.
Comfortable? Not exactly. But the trajectory is upward, the financial backing is real, and Champions League football is a credible target within a few years if they keep building. Betting on Paris FC to make that top European tier inside five seasons isn't the wild punt it would have seemed two years ago.
Whether Klopp is on the bench when they get there is another matter entirely. His contract says 2029. His own words say he's not ready. Arnault can dream — but he's dreaming on a five-year timeline, minimum.
