Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has disclosed why he rejected the opportunity to manage Manchester United back in 2013. At the time, Klopp was in charge of Borussia Dortmund and felt the timing and project alignment weren’t right for him.
During an interview on The Diary of a CEO podcast with Steven Bartlett, Klopp revealed that Manchester United had approached him while he was still under contract with Dortmund. Although he found the offer flattering, he explained that the timing was incorrect and the project’s vision did not match his football philosophy.
Klopp stated, “United tried to approach me, but it was the wrong time. I had a contract at Dortmund and wouldn’t have left for anybody. They were looking for a new manager, and I was one of the options.” When asked if he was the one who declined the offer, Klopp confirmed, “Yes.”
He elaborated that certain aspects of their discussions didn’t align with his expectations. “There were some things in the conversations that I didn’t like. The idea was that big, ‘We get all the players we want, we get him, we get him.’ I sat there thinking this is not my project. It was the wrong time, and on top of that, it was not my project,” Klopp explained.
Instead, Klopp remained loyal to Dortmund and later moved to Liverpool in 2015. There, he led an incredible transformation, winning the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, and the FIFA Club World Cup. His efforts restored Liverpool as a European powerhouse.
Although Klopp stepped down from Liverpool in the summer of 2024, he hinted that a future return to English football isn’t completely off the table. He stated, “I said I will never coach a team in England again, which means if it’s Liverpool, theoretically it’s possible. I don’t know exactly. I love what I do right now. I don’t miss coaching. I do coach now, but just differently.”
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