Jurgen Klopp responds when asked if he’ll replace Xabi Alonso as Real Madrid manager

Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has publicly spoken out on the prospect of him replacing Xabi Alonso as the Real Madrid boss.

Real Madrid decided to part ways with Alonso on Monday, less than 24 hours after Los Blancos’ 3-2 defeat to Barcelona in the final of the Spanish Super Cup. Alvaro Arbeloa has now been placed in charge of the Madrid first team, having been promoted from Real Madrid Castilla.

However, former Liverpool manager Klopp is the ‘dream’ target for Real Madrid, according to journalist Santi Aouna.

Even before Alonso was sacked, Klopp was consistently linked with the Madrid managerial role.

Klopp stepped down as the Liverpool manager at the end of the 2023/24 campaign and has been working as the Head of Global Soccer for Red Bull GmbH since January 2025.

Oliver Mintzlaff, the CEO of Corporate Projects and New Investments of Red Bull GmbH, has already dismissed reports that Klopp could leave his current role for Madrid, and now the German himself has directly addressed speculation that he could replace Alonso at Estadio Bernabeu.

Klopp was asked on ServusTV On, as relayed by Rousing The Kop: “About two hours ago, the news suddenly broke that Xabi Alonso is no longer the coach of Real Madrid.

“So, my question is: has your phone already started ringing?”

The former Liverpool manager responded: “It actually has – though not from Madrid.

“But yes, there were definitely a few people who felt they had to contact me directly about it.

“First of all, I think it’s another sign that something isn’t quite right there at the moment.

“If Xabi Alonso, who over the last two years in Leverkusen has shown what an outstanding coaching talent he is – and I think at his age and with the number of jobs he’s had, you can say that — is then forced to leave Madrid just six months later, it shows a few things.

“On the one hand, it shows that nowadays there’s no time anymore.

“On the other, the expectations at Real Madrid are obviously enormous.

“To make a decision like that in the heat of the moment, after losing a cup final to Barcelona yesterday, says a lot. I think we’d already been hearing rumours for a while.

“And now – I don’t know if that’s where your question was going – but this has absolutely nothing to do with me, and it didn’t trigger anything for me either, which would probably have been the follow-up question. I was surprised, that’s true – genuinely surprised. Then a few people messaged me, and I replied with various emojis.”

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Latest Real Madrid manager news: Second-choice candidate, club legend wanted

Meanwhile, while Klopp is said to be Madrid’s number one manager target, the second-choice candidate for Los Blancos has been revealed in the French media.

Reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano has named the club legend that Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has “in his heart”.

And finally, a Spanish report has revealed the name of the Arsenal player who contributed to Alonso’s downfall at Real Madrid.