If some Liverpool fans were still fearful that Jurgen Klopp would take the vacant Germany head coach position, those worries can be put to rest after news which emerged on Tuesday morning.
Christian Falk reported for Bild that the DFB and Julian Nagelsmann have ‘agreed in principle to work together until the 2024 European Championship’, with the 36-year-old set to take over the national team following the dismissal of Hansi Flick earlier this month.
HEUTE alles klar mit Nagelsmann! @BILD https://t.co/K2cmfPwLNE
— Christian Falk (@cfbayern) September 19, 2023
That sacking had led to reports of the Reds manager being touted as one of the leading candidates to step into the void (90min), but Klopp’s agent Marc Kosicke had made it clear that the 56-year-old had no intention of walking out of his current post at Anfield.
Sharing the news from Falk on his Twitter/X profile, Fabrizio Romano stated: “German DFB now close to completing the formal agreement to appoint Julian Nagelsmann as new head coach of the national team, as @cfbayern reported today.
“Details being discussed on salary as he will take pay cut — Bayern are prepared to terminate Julian’s contact.”
German DFB now close to completing the formal agreement to appoint Julian Nagelsmann as new head coach of the national team, as @cfbayern reported today 🚨🇩🇪
Details being discussed on salary as he will take pay cut — Bayern are prepared to terminate Julian’s contact. pic.twitter.com/u5sFXPxz9Y
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) September 19, 2023
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There never seemed any major concern that Klopp would abandon the Liverpool job to take over from Flick as Germany boss, but this morning’s news from Bild will nonetheless leave Reds fans delighted that any lingering doubts now appear to be put to rest.
There is still a possibility that the 56-year-old accepts an offer to manage his country further down the line, particularly with Nagelsmann only set to be hired until the end of Euro 2024 as things stand, but there’s a sense of security and commitment in that his current contract at Anfield runs until 2026.
Klopp was at both Mainz and Borussia Dortmund for seven years each and is on the brink of entering his ninth year on Merseyside, so he’s very much a man who commits to a job for the long-term rather than walking out at the drop of a hat.
Liverpool fans may well be hoping that the imminent hiring of the 36-year-old goes so well that the German federation asks him to stay on for the 2026 World Cup, in turn dispelling any fears of our legendary figure in the dugout being headhunted by the DFB before then.