Sports
Jurgen Klopp Reportedly in Talks About Saudi Job With Al-Ittihad
When Jurgen Klopp left Liverpool in the summer of 2024, he was clear that he needed a break.
The intensity of nearly nine years at Anfield, not to mention seven before that at Borussia Dortmund, had taken its toll on the German. But football has a way of pulling people back in, and reports have now emerged that Klopp is in discussions over a new role in the game.
It won’t be a return to management, at least not immediately. But it does suggest that the man who won the Champions League, Premier League, and two Bundesliga titles isn’t quite done yet.
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Before the latest development, the 58-year-old’s name had been swirling around some of the biggest jobs in world football. Real Madrid were frequently mentioned, with defeated presidential candidate Enrique Riquelme even going as far as to promise supporters he’d pursue Klopp if he got elected. This was the second time in less than a year Klopp’s name had been mentioned, after Los Blancos had parted ways with now-Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso.
There was also brief speculation about a sensational return to Liverpool following the dismissal of Arne Slot, but the Reds eventually appointed former Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraiola.
In his current role as Red Bull’s Head of Global Football, Klopp oversees football operations across the energy drink manufacturer’s network of clubs, RB Leipzig, Red Bull Salzburg, and sides in Brazil, the USA and Japan. He’s contracted until 2029, but reports of internal fallouts have surfaced in recent months, which only adds to the speculation over him leaving.
Saudi Arabia Calling for Jurgen Klopp
The talks in question are with Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia, and they’re reportedly more advanced than his camp would like to let on. According to Goal, Klopp’s agent Marc Kosicke was dismissing the speculation outright, stating flatly that a move to the Saudi club was “out of the question” just a week ago. But Sky Sport’s transfer insider, Sacha Tavolieri, claims that discussions have resumed within the last 24 hours.
The role being discussed isn’t a managerial one. Al-Ittihad are understood to want Klopp as technical director, with oversight of the club’s transfer strategy, rather than day-to-day coaching. Klopp has said multiple times that he won’t leave Red Bull until after the transfer window closes at least.
But unlike most European leagues, Saudi Arabia’s transfer window stays open until the 12th of October, meaning he could very easily make the switch and get straight to work recruiting for a club which has a budget bigger than most clubs in world football.
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Whether a deal eventually gets done is anyone’s guess, but the fact that his own agent was shutting it down completely just days before talks apparently resumed tells its own story. In football, “out of the question” has a funny habit of becoming “done deal” faster than anyone expects, and Klopp’s next chapter, be that in or out of management, may be closer to being written than it appears.
Sports
Man Utd Open Talks to Sign Fernandes After Ederson, Personal Terms Agreed
Manchester United have now fully turned their attentions to their second signing of the summer after completing an agreement to sign Ederson from Atalanta.
The Red Devils have agreed a £38m deal with the Serie A side to bring the Brazil star to Old Trafford, with the central midfielder now a late addition to the Brazil World Cup squad, which means a deal may be delayed before it is officially signed off and announced.
But with an agreement in place and transfer sorted, United are now moving on to their next targets, and have opened club-to-club talks for their next potential signing.
Man Utd Open Talks to Sign Mateus Fernandes
According to Roundtable, Man Utd have now opened club-to-club talks with West Ham United over a deal to sign Mateus Fernandes.
Fernandes, who has been described as a ‘superstar’, is expected to leave the Hammers this summer after they were relegated to the Championship, but the east London side are currently demanding around £80m to let him leave, despite having paid Southampton around £40m just 12 months prior in the same situation.
United are now ready to push into negotiations, but have absolutely no intention of going near that £80m asking price, and are not interested in taking part in a long saga.
The Portuguese midfielder has already agreed personal terms on a move to Old Trafford, having received glowing references from Bruno Fernandes and Michael Carrick, and now negotiations are expected to accelerate in the coming weeks over a deal.
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Deal There to be Done for Man Utd
While West Ham are playing hardball behind the scenes over a deal for the 21-year-old midfielder, the expectation everywhere is that he will leave the London Stadium before the new season begins.
The £80m price tag is far too high, and West Ham know it too. But with a 15% sell-on clause owed to Southampton from any profit, they want to maximise their returns. Man Utd, however, have been burned far too many times in the past, and INEOS have seemingly learned from mistakes by the previous regime.
A deal will get done eventually, but for how much remains to be seen, and whether it’s Man United who agree terms with West Ham or not is also not guaranteed.
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Sports
Man Utd Preparing Offer to Sign Tottenham Star Cristian Romero
Manchester United are interested in signing Tottenham Hotspur star Cristian Romero and are preparing an offer, according to reliable journalist Gaston Edul.
The Red Devils are expected to have a busy summer transfer window, and have already agreed a deal with Atalanta to sign Brazil star Ederson to strengthen their midfield.
But it has now emerged that alongside their midfield refreshment, United are now looking at strenghtening their defensive options by bringing in a familiar face to Premier League fans.
Man Utd Prepare Romero Offer
Romero, who has been described as ‘world-class’, is expected to leave Spurs this summer after they narrowly avoided relegation to the Championship, despite him missing the end of the season with a knee injury picked up in April.
The centre-back is expected to feature for Argentina at this summer’s World Cup, having been named in their final 26-man squad, but a move away from north London is still expected, with Roberto De Zerbi bringing in Marcos Senesi already, while bids have been made for Jan Paul van Hecke too to replace him.
Romero had been expected to leave the Premier League amid interest from Spain, but now it has been reported that Man Utd have entered the race and are preparing an offer for the 28-year-old.
United have handed Harry Maguire a new one-year contract following his performances in the 2025/26 campaign, while Lisandro Martinez is entering the final 12 months of his deal at Old Trafford too, although they have the option to extend by another year. Matthijs De Ligt, Leny Yoro, and Ayden Heaven are the other centre-back options at the club.
The former Juventus and Atalanta defender would bring great quality, leadership and aggression to the side, and it’s claimed by his father that he has a £50m release clause in his contract after signing a new deal last summer.
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Romero Arrival Would Split Fan Base
There is no doubting that on his day Romero is one of the best defenders in the Premier League, and maybe even world football. But it’s also undeniable that he has major flaws in his game, including his temperament and discipline.
But at the highest level, sometimes that bite and edge is what separates the best, and in a team that is more competitive than Spurs, he may be able to get away from that and show his qualities.
De Ligt isn’t expected to return until after the season has started, having not played since December, and Romero would be an upgrade on Maguire. If this is a deal that can be done for a fee below the regular market value because of a release clause, then it could be a masterstroke. But it wouldn’t be a surprise to see fans upset, considering the priorities the squad need in other positions.
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Sports
Dejan Lovren Slams Jamie Carragher’s Criticism of Mohamed Salah
After just seven goals and assists and a fifth-place finish in the Premier League, Mohamed Salah’s final season at Anfield was always going to invite scrutiny.
That dip in output following years of extraordinary consistency, and a contract situation that rumbled on for far too long, gave pundits plenty of ammunition. But one man who played alongside Salah, has had enough of the criticism.
A Liverpool legend and one of the most prominent voices in football led the charge, publicly accusing Salah of selfishness and suggesting his body language had become a problem. Others in the media followed suit, and as the season wore on, the narrative around one of Anfield’s greatest ever players grew increasingly unforgiving.
Dejan Lovren’s Verdict on Jamie Carragher’s Criticism of Mohamed Salah
Dejan Lovren, who made 141 appearances under Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool and won the Champions League and Premier League alongside the Egyptian, has spoken out in defence of his close friend, delivering a scathing opinion on those who’ve spoken out.
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As quoted by Goal, Lovren made no attempt to soften his stance over the way Salah has been portrayed, calling Jamie Carragher’s criticism ‘disgusting’. He said :
“The way they treated him this season is not harsh, It’s disgusting. Why didn’t they talk about him like this for the past eight or nine years? Tell me… OK, one season, and then he’s the target again. There are so many other issues.”
Lovren’s view is that Carragher, like many TV pundits, is more interested in the performance than the analysis, and that his comments come with a caveat: he’d never say them to a player’s face.
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“He’s being really heavily criticised. Some pundits do it just to attract attention, maybe because they haven’t succeeded in other areas of their lives, so now they need to perform well… especially Carragher, he says whatever he wants,” Lovren said.
“I always said he should tell him this to his face, say all these things to Mo to his face. He’ll never say that. Because I know he never will, because he never said it to me. He’s talked badly about me too, but he never said that to me anyway. You know, he’s just performing on TV and he gets paid for it, so he needs to perform this way.”
Why Dejan Lovren Blames Arne Slot For Salah’s Exit
When discussing what exactly led to Salah’s departure, the Croatian was confident in saying that the club itself wasn’t the issue, it was one man. Arne Slot.
“I don’t think it’s the management (that pushed Salah to leave). “I think it’s just one person, and I think it’s just the manager. They didn’t have a good relationship. Let’s put it simply. With Klopp, he had a really good relationship. It wasn’t always perfect, but they knew each other very well, let’s say that too, and they trusted each other, they liked each other, and Mo gave everything on the pitch for Klopp, and Klopp gave him that trust.”
In Lovren’s view, the difference between the Klopp and Slot eras couldn’t be more night and day. The environment Klopp created allowed Salah to flourish in a way that the last 18 months simply didn’t replicate.
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