On Wednesday, Red Bull announced that former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp will become the Head of Global Soccer. Moreover, one journalist believes that Leeds United’s majority owners should lean on the German’s expertise.
Klopp will oversee Red Bull’s international network of soccer clubs, focusing on the bigger picture rather than the daily operations. He’ll provide strategic guidance to help individual sporting directors embrace the Red Bull philosophy.
While Red Bull isn’t the majority owner, it does hold a minority stake in Leeds and serves as the club’s front kit sponsor, meaning Klopp could share his expertise with the Yorkshire side.
In addition to this, the 57-year-old will also help with the organization’s global scouting initiatives and contribute to the training and development of coaches.
“After almost 25 years on the sideline, I could not be more excited to get involved in a project like this,” Klopp told Red Bull’s official website. “The role may have changed but my passion for football and the people who make the game what it is has not.
“By joining Red Bull at a global level, I want to develop, improve and support the incredible football talent that we have at our disposal. There are many ways that we can do this from using the elite knowledge and experience that Red Bull possesses to learning from other sports and other industries.
“Together we can discover what is possible. I see my role primarily as a mentor for the coaches and management of the Red Bull clubs but ultimately I am one part of an organisation that is unique, innovative and forward looking. As I said, this could not excite me more.”
Journalist Graeme Bailey believes Leeds should lean on Jürgen Klopp
Although Red Bull aren’t the majority owner at Leeds, they do have a minority stake and are the front kit sponsor, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Klopp at Elland Road once he begins this role with Red Bull.
As the majority owner, 49ers Enterprises has the final say on anything Leeds does, but journalist Graeme Bailey notes that they would be foolish not to garner Klopp’s expertise when making any decisions.
“I think the Leeds current majority owners would be very silly not to lean on him personally, someone like Jürgen Klopp,” told Leeds United News. “He is someone who knows the English market well, knows the European market well and so I suspect Leeds will be tapping into his brain for the January window.
“If he gets involved, not in negotiations, but in a phone call to a player saying, ‘I think you should join Leeds’. If that phone call is coming from Jurgen Klopp, that might tip the balance. It won’t do any harm. Let’s see how it plays out, but it’s a fascinating one.”
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