JURGEN KLOPP is top of Real Madrid’s shortlist to replace under-fire boss Xabi Alonso.
The La Liga giants suffered a shock 2-0 defeat to Celta Vigo on Sunday.
With only one win in his last five league matches, Alonso could be sacked after their midweek Champions League fixture against Manchester City.
Klopp, who publicly announced his retirement from management after leaving Liverpool in July 2024, is among two names touted to step in.
The other candidate is Zinedine Zidane, who led Los Blancos to a historic Champions League three-peat from 2015 to 2018.
According to Spanish newspaper El Mundo, Real Madrid’s top brass gathered in the aftermath of the Celta defeat to discuss Alonso’s future.
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There were divided opinions among officials who attended the meeting which stretched until 1am.
Some wanted him gone immediately, but the consensus was to give the Spaniard until after the Manchester City game on Wednesday before reassessing the situation.
But with the suggestion that Alonso has lost the dressing room, it appears to be a matter of time before a replacement is brought in.
Klopp became Red Bull’s new Global Head of Football in January.
The move drew widespread criticism, with fans and journalists calling out the German for hypocrisy.
Klopp had previously made comments critical of the multi-club ownership model in football, which Red Bull is the perfect epitome of.
Red Bull have stakes in clubs from Germany, Austria, United States and Brazil.
It has been widely reported that Klopp has an exit clause in his Red Bull contract that allows him to apply for the German national team job if it becomes vacant.
It remains unclear if a similar clause exists for a domestic club role.
Klopp won the Bundesliga twice with Borussia Dortmund, before lifting the Premier League and Champions League trophies with Liverpool.
He is also a three-time German Football Manager of the Year winner.
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