Jurgen Klopp is one of the most highly regarded managers in world football for the success he has enjoyed at Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund, which hasn’t escaped Barcelona’s attention.
According to The Mirror, the Catalan giants are preparing to dispense with Ronald Koeman after a poor start to the season, culminating in a humbling 3-0 defeat at Benfica on Wednesday.
It’s simply a matter of when, not if, Koeman is sacked by president Joan Laporta, who has been busy drawing up a shortlist of potential replacements.
Klopp is one the leading contenders to take over at Barcelona after the superb job he has done with Liverpool over the last six years.
After their unexpected title challenge under Brendan Rodgers, the Reds had fallen out of contention at the top of the Premier League and were in danger of drifting when Klopp was appointed.
He steered them to the Europa League final at the end of his first season, but Sevilla emerged victorious in Switzerland.
Some savvy recruitment and a full-blooded style of play helped Liverpool back into the Champions League, and they finished as runners-up to Real Madrid in 2018.
A year later and they made amends by beating Tottenham Hotspur in the final, while also running Manchester City close for the league title.
They then became champions of England for the first time since 1990, as well as claiming the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.
Klopp is under contract at Liverpool until the summer of 2024 and could conceivably extend his stay at Anfield even further.
While Barcelona’s interest in him is understandable, there is little prospect that he would consider joining the club in their current state.
Financial crisis, a diminished squad and bickering behind the scenes have left them sixth in La Liga and contemplating an early exit from the Champions League.
