Berlin [Germany], July 4 (ANI): Jurgen Klopp has confirmed he is in talks with the German Football Association (DFB) about becoming Germany's next head coach, but said any potential appointment hinges on discussions with his current employer, Red Bull, where he serves as Head of Global Soccer.

Klopp, who took up the Red Bull role on January 1, 2025, oversees the company's international football network, advising clubs including RB Leipzig and RB Salzburg on scouting, coaching development and football philosophy. He said those responsibilities meant he could not simply walk away despite his interest in Germany's head coach job.

'Yes, I can confirm that, but I'll need to go into the whole thing a little more broadly,' Klopp told MagentaTV, reported One Football, when asked whether he had already held talks with the DFB.

The former Liverpool and Borussia Dortmund manager said Germany's dramatic World Cup exit to Paraguay had rapidly changed the situation.

'If we had scored the next penalty and Paraguay hadn't, we wouldn't be standing here today. But now things are as they are. Julian has resigned, and the DFB is dealing with finding a successor, and in the course of those considerations, they approached me,' he said.

Klopp stressed that while he is open to taking over the four-time world champions, his existing contract with Red Bull remains the biggest issue to resolve.

'Time. The situation is that I have an existing contract with Red Bull. I've said several times how much I enjoy doing this job. As a person, I'm normally someone who really likes to honour contracts. But I've also said that I'm interested in the talks because, of course, those talks have to happen first. They'll have to be intensive discussions because the problems we currently have are naturally not down to Julian Nagelsmann as a person. Julian is an exceptional coach, and he'll get to prove that many more times in his coaching career. So we simply have to wait for the talks to some extent. Those are one set of talks, and then, of course, I also have to have the other talks with my employer, with Oliver Mintzlaff. Because I know that German football is also close to his heart, and accordingly, he is very open to these talks. But they still have to take place,' Klopp added.

Klopp said he was optimistic that a solution could be found if discussions progressed.

'It's difficult to get ahead of the talks, of course, but naturally we've already touched on a few things, and accordingly I don't assume that. In an ideal case, everyone comes out a winner from a story like this in the end. That you can simply say, okay, Red Bull must be able to come out of this cleanly. I've already been there for 19 months, and the public may still be asking to this day what exactly it is that he actually does there. But it has been a very intense time. I've travelled all over the world, learned an infinite amount, gained a great deal of experience, and we've changed a lot of things. And it's not that simple to just step away from that; it has to be clarified that things can continue,' he said.

The 58-year-old said the timing was better than it had been when he stepped away from Liverpool in 2024, having recovered from the burnout that prompted his departure from club management.

'Even now it's not perfect. Because I'm under contract with Red Bull. But it's still better than it has ever been. And as far as I'm concerned--and there's also this--I stopped in Liverpool about two years ago and said that I didn't have the energy for another task or for another year with Liverpool. By now, I'm more than recharged. So I'm ready... But again, it's a bit much. I just also wanted to use today to say that quite a lot is being written out there, and sometimes you can say something about it,' said Klopp.

Klopp also cautioned that Germany's struggles could not be solved by appointing a new coach alone.

'Well, I think, if you want to put it that way, it's still a bit of an unhatched egg. It's absolutely clear, as I said before; it's not just about the head coach, definitely not. German football is naturally now at a turning point. We now have to fundamentally change things. Whether that ends up being me or whoever it may be changes nothing about the fact that those changes are necessary,' he added.

Asked what he had gained from working as a television pundit during the World Cup, Klopp said the experience had broadened his football knowledge.

'Well, it definitely doesn't make you any dumber, certainly not in my field. We've seen incredibly good football; we've also seen less good football. But it was always football, and there are always reasons for the performance you see... So however things continue for me, I certainly won't be any stupider after this World Cup. I'll have learned quite a bit again, and of course that's necessary.'

Earlier on Friday, Nagelsmann resigned, saying Germany deserved 'the opportunity for a true new start' after a disappointing World Cup campaign. The DFB accepted his resignation and confirmed it would seek talks with Klopp over the vacant position.

Germany were eliminated by Paraguay in the Round of 32 after losing their first-ever FIFA World Cup penalty shootout. Jonathan Tah had put Germany ahead in extra time before Paraguay forced penalties and advanced.

Klopp managed Borussia Dortmund between 2008 and 2015 before spending nine years at Liverpool, winning the Premier League and Champions League among other major honours.

Since January 2025, he has overseen Red Bull's global football operations, making any move to the Germany national team contingent on reaching an agreement with both the DFB and Red Bull. (ANI)