Jürgen Klopp is on the verge of becoming the new head coach of Germany after reaching an agreement in principle with the German Football Association (DFB), according to reports in Germany.
A meeting held in New York on Friday between DFB president Bernd Neuendorf, vice-president Hans-Joachim Watzke, Klopp and his agent Marc Kosicke reportedly resulted in an agreement on the key terms of the deal.
The appointment would see Klopp succeed Julian Nagelsmann and take charge of the national team through to the end of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, overseeing Germany’s campaigns for UEFA Euro 2028 and the 2030 World Cup in Spain, Portugal and Morocco.
According to German reports, Klopp is set to earn around €7 million per year, slightly more than Nagelsmann received during his tenure.
The only remaining obstacle is Klopp’s current role as Head of Global Football at Red Bull.
While there has been widespread speculation in recent years about a contractual release clause allowing Klopp to leave for the German national team, Red Bull chief executive Oliver Mintzlaff has repeatedly denied such a clause exists. Instead, the two sides are understood to have reached a gentleman’s agreement whereby Klopp could leave without compensation should Germany come calling, while remaining a commercial ambassador for the Red Bull brand.
Negotiations between Red Bull and Klopp’s representatives are expected to continue over the coming days in order to finalise his departure.
The DFB also confirmed that discussions had taken place.
In an official statement, the federation said Neuendorf and Watzke held “an in-depth initial meeting” with Klopp regarding the possibility of becoming Germany’s next head coach.
The statement added that both parties had reached an understanding on the main elements of a potential contract and that negotiations would continue next week, with optimism that an agreement could be concluded once Klopp’s situation with Red Bull is resolved.
Should the remaining details be finalised, Klopp will return to coaching for the first time since leaving Liverpool, taking charge of a German national team aiming to re-establish itself among the world’s elite after several disappointing major tournaments.
