Jurgen Klopp: European giants gunning for immediate signing of Liverpool legend, with year out plan to be discarded

Spanish giants Barcelona are reportedly determined to bring in Jurgen Klopp as their new manager this summer, despite the departing Liverpool boss harbouring plans of going on a sabbatical after his Anfield spell.

Klopp has decided to leave Liverpool at the end of the season as he is running out of energy to manage at the top level. His announcement, which came on Friday morning, left both the club and the city as a whole shocked.

The German has won everything there is to win while in charge of Liverpool, including the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup and FIFA Club World Cup. But his nine-year reign will come to an end in the summer, and this has forced Liverpool to start eyeing potential successors.

The Reds are known to hold an interest in impressive Premier League managers Roberto De Zerbi, Ange Postecoglou and Thomas Frank. Although, Bayer Leverkusen boss and Anfield hero Xabi Alonso is thought to be the frontrunner.

While Alonso looks set to arrive in the Liverpool hot seat, attention has turned to where Klopp might go next, either this summer or at the end of a year out.

He has been named as a prime candidate for the Barca job, as Xavi has opted to walk away from the club at the end of the campaign.

DON’T MISS: Arsenal cast aside, as Liverpool rival Newcastle for star that’d replace icon of Klopp era

According to the latest from Spanish outlet Sport, Klopp is the No 1 target for Barca president Joan Laporta. The former Borussia Dortmund boss is ‘desired’ by Laporta, as it is felt he can bring plenty of silverware to the Catalan club.

Barca are of course aware that Klopp is running on empty and therefore wants to take a period of time away from the game. However, the La Liga titans are ‘convinced’ they can get him to change his mind.

Barcelona to go all out for Jurgen Klopp capture

Barca think that by showing Klopp their hugely ambitious plans, as well as giving him a massive transfer budget, they can tempt him to move directly from Merseyside to Catalonia.

Barca have struggled with their finances in recent seasons, so in order to help Klopp spend big they would have to sell several first-team players first. It has already been suggested that Klopp has told Barca to offload Raphinha, Marcos Alonso, Oriol Romeu, Sergi Roberto and Joao Felix.

Another Spanish outlet, Mundo Deportivo, claimed on Monday that Klopp’s first two signings at Barca would be Girona winger Savio and Athletic Club attacker Nico Williams.

It is clearly extremely ambitious that Barca are trying to snare Klopp immediately after he leaves Liverpool, as the talismanic manager has been open about his desire to recharge and spend some time with his family.

But perhaps Barca feel this is their only opportunity to land him, as it is likely Germany will try to make him their new manager when he returns from his sabbatical.

READ MORE: Man Utd, Liverpool, Man City all alerted as price tag for incredible centre-back target drops by €20m