Reports: Jurgen Klopp would demand transfer overhaul if appointed Liverpool manager

September 27, 2015
Jack Lusby

Jurgen Klopp would only take over from Brendan Rodgers as Liverpool manager if the club’s transfer committee setup was dismantled, reports claim.

Jurgen Klopp “would demand the end of Liverpool’s transfer committee” if he takes over from Brendan Rodgers as Reds manager.

That is according to the Mail‘s Joe Bernstein, who suggests that Klopp would interested in the role—but only if his stipulations were met by Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group.

“The German tactician has also made it clear he would only be interested in ending his sabbatical by taking a job at Anfield if he is a unanimous choice rather than just elements within the club,” Berstein claims.

He later continues: “The former Borussia Dortmund manager is open to the idea of managing one of Europe’s traditional big clubs but only on his terms.”

This report comes off the back of previous claims from the Independent‘s Simon Hughes that FSG had been “warned against hiring” Klopp.

Klopp’s perceived demands are likely based on common-sense assumptions, but the German has history of working within a different transfer setup at Borussia Dortmund.

Scrapping the transfer committee could see FSG employ a director of football—an appointment they desired before Rodgers joined in 2012.

Klopp worked alongside Michael Zorc at Dortmund, with the former BVB midfielder overseeing incomings and outgoings.

This situation suits Klopp, as his agent explained in June:

In Germany there is a clear separation between manager and sporting director and I think in principle this is very good.

Jürgen does not like to speak to players’ agents or to carry out a transfer.

So we have to see which is the most useful arrangement.

Though a director of football setup would be FSG’s preferred approach to the transfer market, the mistakes of Damien Comolli under John W. Henry and Tom Werner at Liverpool should serve as a warning sign.

Comolli spent around £120 million in two years on Merseyside, signing Andy Carroll, Luis Suarez, Jordan Henderson, Charlie Adam, Stewart Downing, Doni, Jose Enrique, Sebastian Coates, Craig Bellamy, Jordon Ibe and Danny Ward.

Only half of those acquisitions can be considered successful, while only Henderson, Enrique, Ibe and Ward remain at the club.

If FSG were to bow to Klopp’s demands, appointing the right fit as head of transfers is essential.

Failing to do so would likely see the charismatic German retread the flawed path of Rodgers in the Anfield hot seat.