Jurgen Klopp surprised the football world in January when he announced his departure from Liverpool at the end of the season, citing that he was “running out of energy.”
However, there’s a twist to this story: Klopp would cancel his planned sabbatical and return to management next season if a European giant expresses interest in his services.
He explained: “It is that I am, how can I say it, running out of energy. I have no problem now, obviously, I knew it already for longer that I will have to announce it at one point, but I am absolutely fine now. I know that I cannot do the job again and again and again and again.”
Despite winning the Champions League and Premier League during his nine-year tenure at Liverpool, Klopp had planned to take a break from the game. He also stated that he would never manage another side in England.
He said: “If you ask me, ‘Will you ever work as a manager again?’ I would say now, no. But I don’t know obviously how that will feel because I never had the situation.
“What I know definitely – I will never, ever manage a different club in England than Liverpool, 100 per cent. That’s not possible.”
According to transfer expert Gerard Romero (via Anything Liverpool), there is one club that could entice Klopp to make an immediate return to management next season: Barcelona.
Romero claims that Barcelona is the only club that could convince Klopp to forgo his planned year-long break.
He also mentioned that Klopp has reportedly had discussions with Barcelona president Joan Laporta and is very interested in the managerial vacancy at Barcelona.
Meanwhile, current Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez announced in January that he would step down at the end of the season.
Xavi stated that the job has taken its toll on him, and he feels it’s the right time to step back for his mental health.
“In Barcelona, you always feel like you’re not valued, you’re mistreated – that’s how the club works,” he said.
“From a mental-health level, it’s tough too. I am a positive guy, but the battery levels keep running out – and at some point, you realise there’s no point in staying.”
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