The search for Manchester United's next manager has taken an intriguing turn, with club owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe's past admiration for Jurgen Klopp resurfacing. However, any prospect of the legendary German coach taking the Old Trafford hotseat appears to be a complete non-starter.
Ratcliffe's admiration meets Klopp's unwavering loyalty
Following the dismissal of Ruben Amorim, attention has shifted towards available managerial talent. While names like former Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca have been mentioned, the idea of Klopp moving to United has been discussed due to public comments from the club's co-owner.
Back in March 2024, shortly after his investment in United was confirmed, Sir Jim Ratcliffe praised Klopp's intense managerial style. "Klopp has this ability to drive his players to a frenzy," Ratcliffe said. "Total commitment on the pitch. And, you know, that's one of the things a good coach can do."
When a reporter subsequently hinted at approaching Klopp, who had announced his Liverpool exit for that summer, Ratcliffe swiftly shut down the line of questioning, stating: "You can't ask questions like that."
"100 per cent" commitment to Liverpool rules out United
Despite Ratcliffe's willingness to recruit from rivals—exemplified by hiring former Manchester City executive Omar Berrada as CEO—a move for Klopp is fundamentally different. The manager himself has repeatedly and unequivocally closed the door on managing any other English club.
Upon confirming his Anfield departure in 2024, Klopp made an ironclad promise. "What I know definitely – I will never, ever manage a different club in England than Liverpool, 100 per cent," he declared. "That's not possible. My love for this club, my respect for the people is too big. I couldn't. I couldn't for a second think about it. There's no chance."
True to his word, Klopp has not returned to club management. Instead, he took up a role as Red Bull's global head of soccer in 2025, showing no signs of an imminent dugout return.
A historical near-miss and a definitive rejection
The notion of Klopp managing United isn't entirely new, but past interest only highlights why a present-day move is impossible. The German revealed in 2025 that United had approached him back in 2013 when seeking a successor for Sir Alex Ferguson.
"In the year when Sir Alex retired, they spoke to me," Klopp told the Diary of a CEO podcast. "Of course, they were interested. At that time, I would've been interested." However, he was committed to Borussia Dortmund and found aspects of United's pitch unappealing. "The idea was that big - 'We get all the players we want' - and I was sitting there thinking, this is not my project."
He has also publicly dismissed a claim from a former coach that he dreamed of the United job, calling the idea crazy. With his profound legacy at Liverpool firmly established, a switch to Old Trafford remains, as Klopp himself stated, a complete impossibility.
