Not many would doubt Jurgen Klopp’s credentials as one of the greatest managers of all time. The charismatic German remains one of the most successful football masterminds of the 21st century, dominating wherever he went.
Having completed back-to-back Bundesliga titles at Borussia Dortmund, the tactician became a huge hit at Liverpool. Ending their 30-year league title drought by capturing a maiden Premier League crown, he also lifted numerous domestic cups, as well as a prestigious Champions League honour in 2018/19.
Although he departed Anfield in 2024, Klopp remains involved in the game as part of Red Bull’s Head of Global Soccer. And the two-time FIFA Men’s Coach of the Year was recently asked to pick the four greatest managers in football history.
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Jurgen Klopp, 58, snubbed the likes of and Ronaldo Nazario and Cristiano Ronaldo when naming the three best footballers to ever live.
Asked to name the four managers who would make his Mount Rushmore, Klopp started out by naming former Barcelona coach Johan Cruyff, who revolutionised the game as both a player and manager. A pioneer of the free-flowing ‘Total Football’ philosophy, the German hailed the three-time Ballon d’Or winner as the, “most influential football coach I have ever heard of.”
“The way he saw football, the way he understood football, is just second to none.”
He went on to then pay homage to his former rival and friend Pep Guardiola, with the pair locking horns in both Germany and England. He faced the Spaniard on 30 occasions, more than anyone else in his career, getting the better of the Manchester City coach 12 times and losing 11 games to him.
Despite Klopp’s Liverpool team battling with Guardiola’s City side for major honours frequently, there was known admiration between both men. The former recently paid tribute to the Premier League coaching icon after he reached 1000 matches as a manager, saying: “It was a pleasure and it was an honour to face you that often during our careers. Most difficult games, but anyhow, the games I enjoyed the most, because you were and you are an inspiration to all of us.
“The way you understand football is pretty much second to none. The desire you show every day is absolutely outstanding.”
Moving onto his final two picks, Klopp first felt obliged to name Sir Alex Ferguson in his top four. Having been asked to replace the 13-time Premier League champion at Manchester United after the Scot announced he was retiring in 2012/13, the then-Borussia Dortmund manager would go on to coach the Red Devils’ famous rivals.
Although the pair never met in the dugout, there was still mutual respect between them, with Klopp hailing the legendary Scot as “a role model for every manager” back in 2015. However, his final pick was tricky, with him weighing up three separate coaches.
“And now I barely can decide,” he said. “Carlo Ancelotti is in my mind, obviously. Bill Shakley, Bob Paisley, I heard so much about them, never saw them.
“But yes, I want to see Bill Shankly on the Mount Rushmore. That’s it.”
Having snubbed himself from the list, it was inevitable that Klopp would opt for another legendary former Liverpool manager — and who better than Shankly? Over the course of 15 years, the Scotland international lifted 10 trophies with the Reds, earning promotion from the Second Division, winning three First Division titles and laying the bedrock for their extensive success under Bob Paisley both domestically and in Europe.
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Daniel Farke and his Leeds United team will be hoping to kick on even further during the 2026/27 season after a strong first season back in the Premier League.
Tipped to be relegated and return to the Championship at the first time of asking, Leeds comfortably finished the season in 14th, eight points above West Ham in the final relegation place.
The West Yorkshire club also featured in an FA Cup semi-final which they narrowly lost against Chelsea.
Leeds fans will be keeping their fingers crossed that more is to come from the team over the course of the next 12 months and key to that will be adding new players to the squad.
Leeds are yet to confirm any new signings so far this summer but all will be hoping it isn’t too long before new arrivals sign on the dotted line at Elland Road.
Leeds are keen to strengthen their midfield for the new season with a move for Southampton midfielder Shea Charles.
The Northern Ireland international played a pivotal role for Saints last campaign as he helped them reach the Championship play-offs and also the semi-final of the FA Cup.
After failing to secure an immediate return to the Premier League, Charles looks on course to depart Southampton ahead of the new season and Leeds are hopeful of luring him to Elland Road.
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According to the Daily Mail, the West Yorkshire club have submitted an improved offer of £23million plus add-ons for the 22-year-old.
Charles, who came through Manchester City’s academy, is valued at £30m by Southampton and City are believed to have a 15 per cent sell-on clause on their former player.
The ex-Sheffield Wednesday loanee came in for plenty of praise last season following his performances in the middle of the pitch for Southampton.
Set to turn 23 at the beginning of November, the Manchester-born player is currently going through a key phase where he is maturing from a talented youngster into a senior player.
Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neill has labelled him as a ‘massive player’ who ‘blows’ his opponents away.
Meanwhile, Saints boss Tonda Eckert noted that when speaking about his player back in April following another starring role on the pitch.
“He’s growing at the moment. You have that transition as a player, especially at this stage of a career, where you’re not a talent anymore,” he said, as reported by the Southern Daily Echo.
“You are only judged on performance. That’s a transition moment that Taylor [Harwood-Bellis] has done, where players come from big academies.
“They are big prospects and have already done something in their career, but the point where you are being considered a talent at one point is over.
“Then you need to perform, and I think he’s in the middle of that process of maturing a lot. I think he had a very good game against Blackburn.”
Manchester United‘s search for a new midfielder is ongoing after they missed out on Mateus Fernandes to Tottenham. The Red Devils wanted the West Ham midfielder but were outbid by Spurs, who are spending huge money to improve their squad this summer.
Spurs agreed to pay £85million to sign the young Portuguese star, and that fee proved too high for United, at least in the case of that specific player. Michael Carrick will be very aware that holding or hybrid midfielder is going to cost big money this summer, with such players dominating the market currently, as shown by Elliot Anderson’s £116million move to Manchester City.
One alternative United are being linked with is Real Madrid and France superstar Aurelien Tchouameni, and there has been an update on that particular interest from transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
According to Romano, Tchouameni is a dream target for United, but it’s not just Real Madrid’s likely reluctance to sell standing in the way of a deal.
“Manchester United will still sign a midfielder. Man United were planning to sign two, one is going to be Ederson, and they will still sign one more, at least one more,” he said on his YouTube show.
“Then many of you are asking me about Tchouameni now. Tchouameni is a dream signing for Man United. They love the player, but at the moment, the financials of the deal are considered still too high, because also the salary — it is not just about Real Madrid, it’s also about the salary. The salary of Aurelien Tchouameni is considered too high. So, the only way to open doors to Aurelien Tchouameni to Manchester United after missing out on Fernandes is to discuss a completely different salary, and at the moment, it is still not something happening.”
According to reports in Spain, Real Madrid currently have no plans to sell Tchouameni, and only a huge offer is likely to get them to consider a sale regardless of whether they sign a new midfielder or not this summer.
United legend Rio Ferdinand has been calling for United to go all-out to sign Tchouameni this summer. He said on his own YouTube show: “My biggest thing about it (Mourinho going to Real Madrid) is are United going to get Tchouameni? Because I keep seeing that talked about, and he’d be one of the first midfielders on my list if we had a possibility of getting someone to go in there to replace Casemiro. Tchouameni would be that guy.
“Do you know what? I know I’ve been sitting here saying that Jose is going to be the man to reintegrate Tchouameni and Valverde together and keep them at Real Madrid.
“But I’ve got to say, if Tchouameni has a half a sniff of getting out of that club, Man Utd have to be the first team at the door knocking and make sure he can’t even talk to anybody else. Get him signed, sealed, delivered.”
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Manchester United may have been given a clear path to sign a dream transfer target this summer, as links continue to heat up.
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