Klopp also cited fatigue as a main reason for his departure from the dugout.
By Kehinde Okeowo
Former Liverpool boss, Jurgen Klopp, has claimed he was approached by Manchester United to replace Sir Alex Ferguson but he declined the offer.
He made this known on Monday while featuring as a guest on Steven Bartlett’s “Diary of a CEO” podcast.
Klopp left Anfield in the summer of 2024 after nine years at the club and now works as the Global Head of Soccer for Red Bull.
He, however, claimed that before joining Liverpool, their arch-rivals, United, had approached him in 2013 while he was still at Borussia Dortmund.
“United tried (to approach me). It was the wrong time, wrong moment,” Klopp said.
“I had a contract at Dortmund and wouldn’t have left for anybody. They wanted a new manager and I was one of a few options I think.”
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Asked if he turned United down rather than the other way around, Klopp replied, “yes.”
He then added, “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’ — and I was sitting there thinking this is not my project. It was the wrong time but on top of that it was not my project.”
Speaking on the possibility of returning for Anfield for the second time, he said he is not ruling it out.
The 57-year-old, however, insisted that he does not miss coaching.
The German tactician, who was replaced by Arne Slot, went on to cite fatigue as being one of the main reasons why he walked away from the dugout.
When quizzed on what his future looks like, Klopp said, “I said I will never coach a team in England again, that 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 different.”
