Fabrizio Romano reveals latest on Jurgen Klopp to Real Madrid | OneFootball

Jurgen Klopp and Real Madrid rumours refuse to fade

The managerial summer of 2026 already feels restless, a period when elite clubs rarely sit still for long. Liverpool, even under Arne Slot, hover on the edge of that turbulence, while Real Madrid have once again reached for the reset button. In the middle of it all sits Jurgen Klopp, retired in name only, a figure whose shadow still stretches across Europe’s biggest stages.

Xabi Alonso’s dismissal from Real Madrid after defeat in the Spanish Super Cup final against Barcelona has added a familiar twist. A former Liverpool midfielder, once seen as a natural heir to Klopp’s lineage, is suddenly available. That alone sharpens the focus on Anfield, where contingency plans are never far away. Yet the louder noise comes from Madrid, where attention has turned not to Alonso’s successor, but to Klopp himself.

Madrid upheaval and Liverpool echoes

Real Madrid’s decision to place Alvaro Arbeloa in interim charge fits a pattern, calm on the surface, impatient underneath. Results will decide Arbeloa’s fate, but the club’s long term thinking rarely waits. Klopp’s name carries weight in Madrid, not because of trophies alone, but because of the cultural authority he brought to Liverpool. That reputation travels.

For Liverpool supporters, the irony is uncomfortable. Klopp left the club in 2024 seeking space and freedom, and did so with universal goodwill. Seeing him linked elsewhere was inevitable, but Real Madrid feels different. It is the one European rival that repeatedly blocked his Liverpool side at decisive moments, most painfully in Champions League finals.

Jurgen Klopp holds all the cards

Fabrizio Romano has been clear on how this story stands. Speaking on his YouTube channel, he said, “The answers I’m getting on this is that Jurgen Klopp has many fans at Real Madrid, he’s really appreciated internally by some people.”

Crucially, the initiative would have to come from Klopp. Romano added, “But the same people say this must come from Klopp. It’s not Real Madrid going to Klopp and saying ‘would you like to return to coaching?’ This is not Real Madrid’s style.”

Madrid’s interest is conditional and cautious. “They would only consider Jurgen Klopp in the summer if Arbeloa goes – and that’s not guaranteed because this will depend on results – but they would only consider him if he decides to return to coaching.”

Fit, freedom and familiar doubts

Klopp would command instant respect from players like Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jnr. Yet respect alone is fragile at a club defined by egos and expectation. Alonso discovered how quickly authority can erode in that environment.

There is also the personal question. Klopp spoke often of exhaustion at Liverpool, of the need to step away. Madrid offers power and prestige, but little peace. For now, it feels more likely that he protects his distance from the touchline than dives back into it.

Whatever choice he makes, Jurgen Klopp carries something rare in modern football, unconditional gratitude from a fanbase. That alone gives him freedom few managers ever earn.