Klopp ‘calls’ former Liverpool star TAA and Haaland as he ‘prepares’ to take over at Real Madrid | OneFootball

Former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has spoken to both Trent Alexander-Arnold and Manchester City striker Erling Haaland ahead of taking the Real Madrid job, according to reports.

Los Blancos opted to sack Xabi Alonso after Real Madrid lost the Spanish Super Cup final 3-2 to arch-rivals Barcelona earlier this month.

Real Madrid were also trailing the Catalan giants in La Liga by four points at the time and there had been rumours of discontent at Alonso’s management in the dressing room.

The Spanish giants immediately appointed Arbeloa to take over but that hasn’t stopped rumours that Real Madrid could appoint another coach in the summer.

There have been rumours for a while that former Liverpool boss Klopp could be a contender to take over from Alonso and Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg claimed that Klopp would give the Real Madrid job ‘serious consideration’.

Plettenberg wrote on X earlier this month: ‘EXCLUSIVE DETAILS | Jürgen #Klopp is a candidate for the head coach position at Real Madrid, should the club decide to appoint a new manager in the summer. As revealed on 11 December and confirmed again.

‘Understand despite Klopp’s long-term contract with Red Bull and his strong identification with the Red Bull project, Real Madrid hold a major appeal for him. If Real were to make a serious move, Klopp would give it serious consideration.’

And reports in Spain claim Klopp ‘remains the frontrunner to take over’ at the Bernabeu at the end of the season and ‘initial talks have already taken place regarding Klopp replacing Alvaro Arbeloa this summer’.

Klopp wants ‘complete freedom to plan the squad’ as one of his expectations on taking the role and ‘he has already contacted’ former Liverpool defender Alexander-Arnold, who was key to his success at Anfield.

The German ‘still maintains a fantastic relationship’ with the England international, who is currently injured at Real Madrid, and Klopp ‘hopes to put an end to the rumours suggesting a possible departure soon’.

While in conversation with Alexander-Arnold, Klopp also ‘wanted to gauge the atmosphere in the dressing room and the current situation at Real Madrid’.

The former Borussia Dortmund boss also ‘took the time to call’ Man City striker Haaland – who is top goalscorer in the Premier League this season – as the Norway international ‘would be one of his first requests to Florentino Pérez to improve the squad’.

During the call, Klopp ‘conveyed the enormous interest he has in being able to work together’ and the German has told Real Madrid that he ‘would be in favour of accepting the sale of Vinicius Junior’ in order to facilitate Haaland’s arrival in a deal expected to be worth €175m.