Renowned Liverpool boss disclosed why he declined Manchester United‘s offer before committing to the Reds.
Jürgen Klopp recently opened up about his choice to turn down Manchester United’s proposal prior to taking the helm at their fierce rivals, Liverpool.
Now retired from management, Klopp stands as one of the Premier League‘s most celebrated coaches, having secured every major trophy with Liverpool. Yet, his career path might have been very different, as he was once a target for Manchester United.
Klopp’s Perspective
Since Sir Alex Ferguson‘s departure, Manchester United have cycled through numerous managers. Notably, both Klopp and Pep Guardiola-two of the most successful Premier League managers post-Ferguson-were linked with the club.
During a candid conversation with British-Nigerian entrepreneur and podcaster Steven Bartlett on the Diary of a CEO podcast, Klopp revealed the reasons behind his refusal to join Manchester United when approached.
The former Borussia Dortmund coach described United’s project as lacking appeal, highlighting that their approach seemed unfocused and overly reliant on acquiring star players rather than building a cohesive team strategy.
Klopp has been rumored to consider a managerial comeback (Credit: Imago)
“During the discussions, I heard things that didn’t sit well with me: ‘We’ll sign all the players you want… this one, and that one…'” Klopp recalled. “I thought to myself, this isn’t the kind of project I want to be part of.”
He added, “I wasn’t interested in bringing back Paul Pogba. That wouldn’t solve the problems. Nor was I keen on re-signing Cristiano Ronaldo; that wouldn’t help either.”
“Their plan was simply to gather the biggest names, but football itself was never the focus. Then came a genuine football project: Liverpool FC.”
Klopp’s critique of Manchester United’s lack of a clear vision aligns with the club’s ongoing struggles, where ineffective transfer strategies have been pinpointed as a key factor behind their underperformance.