Jurgen Klopp enjoyed a hugely successful spell as Liverpool manager, but things could have been so different if he had accepted an offer to take over at Manchester United earlier
Jurgen Klopp could have taken the helm of Manchester United many moons ago if it was not for the wise advice of his wife, Ulla Sandrock. The German brain will go in the Annals of History as one of the greatest managers of Liverpool and Anfield in 2024 with a Premier League and a Champions League to his name.
Yet he might have been to the United Dugout if he was not for the intervention of Ulla, as Phil Thompson revealed an attempt to grab Klopp for Old Trafford. The Liverpool -legend, who spoke with Norway TV2 in 2019, said: “I interviewed Klopp for Sky and I asked if he and Liverpool were made for each other.
“He looked at me and asked,” Why? ” Then Klopp told me he could have taken over Manchester United, but his wife said it wasn't good.
“There is something strange there. It is as if he was made for Liverpool,” reports the Liverpool Echo. In the meantime, Klopp himself has recognized in previous overtures of United, since the term of office of Sir Alex Ferguson came to an end in 2013.
According to Sky Sports, Klopp said: “We spoke. We didn't speak much, but for me it was a lot. It was a great honor, the whole conversation, to be honest.
“But I couldn't leave Dortmund. You are in April and you are in the middle of the planning for next season. You have this player and this player who is coming, but then you are no longer there? That doesn't work.
“Not in my life. I heard nothing about a real offer [from United] But if that was, I couldn't have done it. I first had to end the job with Dortmund and then think about other things.
“Maybe that is not smart, but that is my way. It was the same with Mainz.” Klopp's loyalty to Borussia Dortmund meant that he gave the chance to manage Manchester United, a decision that put him on a path to eventually take the helm in Liverpool.
With Klopp's legendary term of office at Dortmund, which produces considerable silverware, including two Bundesliga titles and three domestic cups, his career trajectory might have been very different if he had chosen Old Trafford over Anfield. While United continues their search for post-Ferguson stability, now under the supervision of Ruben Amorim, they can only wonder what could be if Klopp had chosen differently.
After taking over Erik ten Hag in November, Amorim has difficulty making an impact with his hereditary team in the 2024/25 season, which resulted in the lowest Premier League of United once after Sunday's season against Aston Villa. In Stark Contrast, Liverpool will celebrate their second Premier League title since the start of the competition in 1992, after their own match against Crystal Palace in Anfield.
Arne Slot, who took over from Klopp for the 2024/25 season, has orchored a sensational debut season with the Reds – the title of competitions with four games to be saved in April after a 5-1 demolition of Tottenham.