Jurgen Klopp linked with German national team switch

Klopp could move back to his homeland next year, according to Bild

Jurgen Klopp could leave Liverpool at the end of next season to take the German national team job, according to a report in his homeland. Despite making light of recent rumours that he was set to depart Anfield in the near future, a Bild front page suggests Klopp's time in the Premier League could come to an end next year. The German news outlet claim - and we have no idea how they calculate this sort of thing in percentages - that there is a 68% chance Klopp will look to take over Die Mannschaft from Joachim Low after the World Cup in Qatar. Given the timing of the tournament, leaving Liverpool at the end of the season would give him the chance to take a six-month break before taking control of the German team at the start of 2023. Klopp's current deal at Anfield runs until 2024, but the same report - again, using percentages - gives him just a 30% chance of seeing it through. All of this does appear to be based on opinion more than any concrete facts, but it does state that Klopp has clear intentions of returning to Germany at some point in the future, having previously taken charge of Mainz 05 and Borussia Dortmund. Asked about his future at Liverpool, not long after the January passing of his mother was made public, Klopp told reporters:

"Of course we're influenced by things that happen around us but nobody has to worry about me. "I might not look like this because the weather is not good and I'm white and my beard gets more and more grey. I don't sleep a lot, that's all true, but I'm full of energy. "Honestly, the situation is a challenge. I don't want to be in the situation we're in but I see it as a challenge - an interesting challenge."

Klopp conceded Liverpool's defence of their Premier League title was all but over after losing at home to Manchester City earlier this month. Their last outing saw them fall to their fourth consecutive league defeat, this time to neighbours Everton, which leaves them sixth in the table and at risk of missing out on Champions League qualification for next season.

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