The vice-president of the German football association (DFB) has claimed a move for Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is “impossible” due to his high salary.
Klopp has long been touted as a future Germany head coach. A switch into national team management was expected as he approached the end of all his previous Liverpool contracts, only for the boss to ultimately extend his stay at Anfield.
Now tied to Liverpool until 2026, Klopp has previously insisted he would not end his contract early unless he was sacked.
If Klopp did want to take the Germany job in the future, he would have to lower his wage demands as DFB vice-president Ralph-Uwe Schaffert has claimed his current salary is simply far too high.
“The DFB can’t play Jurgen Klopp at all,” Schaffert told Hannoversche Allgemeine. “He earns a fixed €24m a year, plus €26m guaranteed advertising income – so €50m.”
Schaffert later claimed the wage handed to former Germany manager Hansi Flick was “sheer madness” and praised current boss Julian Nagelsmann for accepting a reduced salary.
Schaffert’s interview, which also included stunning criticism of key players like Ilkay Gundogan and Joshua Kimmich, has been widely condemned by several high-ranking members of the DFB.
While Schaffert’s comments may not represent the views of the wider DFB, there is no denying the difficulty of any move to hire Klopp in the coming years.
Nagelsmann is under contract until the summer of 2024, after the upcoming European Championship on home soil, at which point Germany may search for a new manager.
When Klopp was last linked with the Germany job, he publicly stressed his loyalty to Liverpool and his desire to lead the club into a new era, insisting his “heart” remains at Anfield.