Jurgen Klopp has finally discussed rumours linking him with the German national team job.
The Liverpool manager has had his name repeatedly put alongside the role as current incumbent Hansi Flick continues to struggle with just four wins in his last 16 games.
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The pressure is cranking up on former treble-winning Bayern Munich head coach Flick, with Germany hosting Euro 2024 next summer and looking completely out-of-sorts.
So favoured is Klopp by fans in Germany, that there has even been talk of the Reds boss managing the national team just for the tournament while remaining as Liverpool manager.
Klopp has now dismissed the idea of taking over part-time while speaking in his hometown of Stuttgart, and admitted he hasn’t been approached.
“The problem that stands in the way of the whole thing is my loyalty,” he said.
“I can’t just leave Liverpool now and say I’ll take over Germany for a moment. That does not work. And the request isn’t even there.”
Klopp’s current deal with Liverpool lasts until 2026, but he clearly sees himself as Germany manager at some point in the future.
“The job of national coach is and would be a great honour – there’s no question about that,” he told a panel in Baden-Wurttemberg.
“If I’m supposed to do it at some point, then I have to be available. And that’s just not me at the moment.”
Despite his comments, links with the role likely won’t go anywhere soon, with 2014 World Cup-winner and former Arsenal forward Lukas Podolski saying Klopp is the only man capable of providing the necessary magic Germany need next summer.
Speaking to BILD, Podolski said: “He’s the only one I see who can pull something out again.”
And fans agree, as the popular website ran a poll of who should manage Germany next summer, and Klopp took 49 per cent of the vote, with Julian Nagelsmann second on just 16 per cent.
