Klopp agreed to Red Bull role while still at Liverpool

It has been a summer of change for Liverpool as Arne Slot took over the reins from Jurgen Klopp at Anfield Stadium. The Germany coach stepping down was a surprise for many as he still had two years left on his contract with the Merseyside club, though he decided to take a leave owing to fatigue of the job.

The Reds went on to bring Slot to replace the former Dortmund manager, while Klopp signaled he would take a year’s break away from the game to relax and recharge.

Klopp agreed to Red Bull role two years ago

Arne Slot is not taking his impressive start to life at Liverpool for granted. — Was Klopp departure from Liverpool pre-planned?

Klopp has been taking the headlines in newspapers in the ongoing week as he joins the Red Bull Group as Global Head of Soccer. And if the reports in German media are to be cited, the 57-year-old agreed to move to the Austrian organisation while he was still in charge of the Premiership heavyweights.

The former Liverpool boss had agreed to join the Red Bull network in 2022 following a private meeting with co-founder of the company, Dietrich Mateschitz, per TZ. Klopp met the Red Bull boss at a private villa in Austria, where Klopp gave a word to Mateschitz that he would move to Red Bull following his stint with Liverpool.

The report also confirms that this news was only known to selected people in the Red Bull network and to Klopp two years ago, as they quote Red Bull F1 advisor Helmut Marko:

“It’s unbelievable how such a mega deal could remain secret for so long. That would never have been possible in Formula 1.”

Klopp is scheduled to start with Red Bull at the turn of the year, although he has a clause in the contract that could allow him to take charge of the German national team in the future.