More speculation emerges that Jurgen Klopp could leave Liverpool for Bayern Munich

Between the German national team, Liverpool, and Bayern Munich, there have been a lot of moving parts since Joachim Low announced he will be stepping down as Die Mannschaft manager after this summer’s European Championships. Shortly thereafter, Hansi Flick, Jurgen Klopp, Stefan Kuntz, and Ralf Rangnick were some of the top names linked to succeed Low. Klopp almost immediately took himself out of the running, but Flick, Kuntz, and Rangnick have not done so, though Rangnick has also been linked with the sporting director’s role at Schalke 04, where he once managed.

There’s still a belief (among some), that Flick is the right man for the Germany job, but that would obviously mean he would have to leave his post at Bayern less than a calendar year after securing another historic treble. While doing their television punditry for CBS Sports All Access for the Champions League earlier this week, Peter Schmeichel and Jamie Carragher discussed the possibility of Klopp taking the Bayern job if Flick goes on to coach Die Mannschaft after this summer’s Euros (Mirror).

Schmeichel argued, “think about this scenario. Let’s play with the idea that Hans-Dieter Flick takes the German job, which is not a given. Then Bayern needs a new coach and Jurgen Klopp has been offered that job before. That is an absolute top job. And it’s a top job in his own country. You say that he would never leave Liverpool for the German job. But would he leave it for Bayern Munich?” Carragher, on the other hand, doesn’t believe that Klopp would prematurely break his contract with Liverpool, even if it meant getting the Bayern job. He said there is “no chance” Klopp cuts his contract with Liverpool short. He added, “he may leave it when his contract finishes but I don’t think he would break his contract. In his two previous jobs (Mainz, Dortmund), he has always left when his contract has finished. He has come out and stated that publicly in the last week or so. I would imagine he would stand by his word. And he would want to improve on the season Liverpool have had this season.”

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BFW Analysis

I (and I don’t like using “I” when I write) also genuinely don’t think Klopp would cut his contract short with Liverpool — I have to side with Carragher on this. His current contract expires in the summer of 2022 and he will more than likely stay on Merseyside until then.

For Flick potentially getting the German job, that’s more likely than Klopp coming to Liverpool, in my honest opinion. There’s certainly an element of hierarchy at Bayern that Flick might feel prevents him from having as much of a say in transfers and squad planning as he wants to. As the national team manager, he wouldn’t have to deal with this, at least to the same extent. Not to mention, Flick already has a very solid relationship with the DFB given his time working alongside Low as his assistant manager, so of all the candidates to succeed Low, he makes the most respect in that regard.

At this juncture, it’s more of a question of is the man that the DFB definitely wants to give the job to Flick and will they be able to get him to leave Bayern prematurely. Additionally, does Bayern already have a plan in place in the event that Flick does leave this summer that doesn’t include Klopp?

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