Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has revealed why he declined an opportunity to take over as Manchester United’s head coach following Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement in 2013.
Speaking on The Diary of a CEO podcast, Klopp said that while Manchester United had approached him during his time at Borussia Dortmund, he didn’t believe it was the right move or the right kind of project for him at the time.
“In the year when Sir Alex retired, they spoke to me. Of course, there was interest,” Klopp said. “I was young and had a sensational team at Dortmund. But I had a contract and wouldn’t have left for anyone. It was simply the wrong time, wrong moment.”
Klopp admitted that some aspects of his discussions with United didn’t sit well with him.
“There were things in the conversation I didn’t like. The idea seemed to be, ‘We’ll get all the players we want — him, him, and him,’ and I thought, this isn’t my project,” he explained. “It was the wrong time, and it wasn’t the right project.”
Two years later, Klopp moved to Liverpool, where he went on to enjoy a historic nine-year spell, winning the Premier League, Champions League, and several other trophies.
Reflecting on United’s approach to transfers in the years after Ferguson’s exit — including big-money signings like Angel Di Maria, Paul Pogba, Romelu Lukaku, and Cristiano Ronaldo — Klopp noted that he wouldn’t have approved of such recruitment strategies.
“I didn’t want to bring back Pogba. He was a great player, but those things rarely work. The same with Cristiano — he’s one of the best ever, but bringing players back doesn’t usually help.”
Klopp emphasized that his decision wasn’t about football rivalry but about values and vision.
“It wasn’t about football. Then came Liverpool — a pure football project. I had a fantastic talk with Mike Gordon, and after that, I knew I wanted to work with him. He’s such a genuine guy,” he said.
When asked why Manchester United have struggled since Ferguson’s departure, Klopp laughed and replied:
“Since I joined Liverpool, I never thought about what United did right or wrong. From that moment, they became our opponent — one that’s just a bit more fun to beat than others.”
He concluded by saying football, like life, is about solving immediate problems rather than chasing quick fixes:
“In football, you can’t always look mid or long-term. You fix what’s in front of you. Maybe that’s what United struggled with — trying to buy time instead of building.”
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