Man Utd and Chelsea dispute claims they approached Jurgen Klopp after Liverpool exit

Jurgen Klopp’s post-Liverpool sabbatical has taken him from the Anfield touchline to the top of the Lausanne mountains, where this week he sounded the bell at the Winter Olympics, underscoring a deliberate step back from the relentless rhythms of elite management. Yet even in repose the German tactician has not escaped the rumour mill, with recent whispers suggesting both Manchester United and Chelsea had tested the water over a dramatic return to English football.

Those stories have been flatly rejected by the clubs themselves. Speaking on his YouTube channel, transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano revealed he contacted both United and Chelsea directly. Each outfit praised Klopp’s record—“one of the best managers in the world,” Romano quoted—but insisted no formal or even preliminary discussions took place. “Both clubs absolutely announce that they never had any advanced or concrete negotiations to appoint Jurgen Klopp,” Romano added, a statement that appears to close the door on any immediate Premier League comeback.

Chelsea, for their part, have already moved on, installing Liam Rosenior as manager. Manchester United’s vacancy remains open, and with the summer coaching carousel set to spin, speculation linking Klopp to Old Trafford is unlikely to disappear entirely.

Across the continent, Real Madrid are also weighing a permanent appointment after placing former Liverpool defender Álvaro Arbeloa in interim charge. Romano notes that while several Madrid executives hold Klopp in high regard, no talks have occurred. The 56-year-old’s focus, for now, remains on his advisory role within the Red Bull global network, a commitment he has reiterated since leaving Merseyside.

For the time being, Klopp appears content to trade team-talks for torch-bearer duties, leaving Europe’s heavyweight clubs to conduct their managerial searches without his involvement—at least until he decides the time is right to re-enter the dug-out.